Moving Memories
by itabitaboo
Summary: Due to unfortunate events, Naruto's life is turned upside down when moves from his childhood country home to a place in the city. While starting at a university, he finds himself connecting with new people in new ways. He turns from sure that his life is ending to wondering if his life is really only just beginning, but what secrets will his new friends be hiding?
1. Chapter 1: Story Time

**Disclaimer:** I don't pretend to own Naruto. Well, not outside of my mind anyway.

**Warnings for this fic:  
**—Blood. It's hard to avoid blood altogether but if you are squeamish and can't handle it at all, I'm warning you that it's here.  
—There may be substance abuse. I haven't decided quite yet.  
—There may or may not be allusions to rape. There will _not_ be any descriptions of it, though.  
—Normal abuse will be both alluded to and described. It won't be gruesome, though.  
—Smut smut in the butt butt, as is unavoidable in any M rated yaoi fic of mine xD  
******Expect the following warnings without warning. They _will not_ be repeated.  
**—Obviously there will be violence, nudity, and profanity. Hence the M rating.  
—Dying will happen.

**A/N:** This fic is in an AU, as are most of my fics even though I always forget to mention that. Also, Gaara-Kiba & Sai-Sasu are the other important pairs. Sai-Sasu is like not even barely around at all, though. The other unimportant pairs that are also present are Ita-Dei and Kisame-Temari. I guess Ita-Dei is kind of important, too. The story focuses on Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, & Kiba though, so _they're_ the important ones. Sai, too. He's important. Ita, too. Well, Temari and Kankuro are also important. Well, fuck. I can't stop rambling and contradicting myself. In any case, those are the couples.

* * *

**Chapter One: Story Time**

'Let's travel,' Jiraiya said. 'It'll be fun,' Jiraiya said. 'It's time to move on and move out,' Jiraiya said. Jiraiya said a lot of convincing things after dad died and I bought into them all like an idiot. I certainly did _not_ expect any of that to actually mean "let's move into the city" and I'm talking about the city that's only an hour and a half away from our perfectly comfortable country home. It had _felt_ like the right time to move on and move out when we were supposed to be travelling and having fun but that measly hour and a half between my old home and my new one is absolutely _not_ travelling and it certainly isn't fun, either. It was all just fancy words that Jiraiya used to con me into moving. I swear, my godfather really knows how to work me over just like he could work dad. I guess I really am my father's son.

Jiraiya had also failed to mention that moving on and moving out meant selling the house and I mean sell as in completely give it away to some strangers. I don't know why any of this seemed reasonable to me at all. Actually, the lies of fun and travel were definitely why but when they were taken out of the equation, it suddenly all seemed so wrong. Selling the house didn't feel right at all. There were too many memories. Maybe it was just Jiraiya's house but it was my _home_. Dad left it in Jiraiya's name and, at first, I was pretty mad about that. I mean, why would my old man leave _our_ home to him and not me? This was exactly what I feared would happen. Jiraiya would just sell it when I moved out after graduation but I think that's what dad was hoping for.

The old fart knew that I would hold on to it if I could. Hell, I'd probably never leave. I'd never go to college. I'd never fall in love The closest thing to a companion that I'd have, other than Jiraiya, would be the horses in the barn and the pigs in the sty. He knew that I loved the place too much to ever leave it, even if it was killing me to stay. It's been about two years since dad passed away and almost one since graduation and I still don't want to go, even though I'm really already gone. I can't be blamed if I'm so attached to the place, though. That house had been my home for my entire life. My mom had given birth to me there. She died that night, too, but not before meeting me. Dad never forgot to tell me how much mom loved me. She held onto life just long enough to hold me, name me, and tell me once how much she loved me. She died with me in her arms. That's why I can't let that house go so easily. That house _was_ mom and now it was dad, too. How does one let something like that go?

Dad was never big on material things or the idea of keeping shit just to keep it, though. He always felt like it was selfish. He used to tell me that one day we'd all have to leave the house in someone else's hands and I didn't like that idea at all. He used to say that we had to hand it over so that other people could make memories, too. I didn't understand him then when he told me that the house was other people and not just mom back then but I understand him now. Other people have lived and died there. There were other people who had memories made there, memories that they didn't want to leave but we all have to, eventually. That's what dad would say. There comes a time when we all have to give up precious things and share them with someone else. I never had to actually give anything up, though. That was another thing that dad taught me. He always said, "If it was ever really yours, it could never really be anything less." The things that truly matter live on in our hearts, things like memories and parents. It doesn't matter if we have to let something go because if it's in our hearts, it's there to stay.

Dad used to say a lot of things and they all meant nothing to me when he did but now that he's gone, it all makes more sense. I guess it's good that I've got Jiraiya here with me. I'm nineteen and he really doesn't have to take care of me anymore but he still wants to. Dad knew Jiraiya would take care of me just like he is right now. I'll never admit this to _him_ but Jiraiya did save me and Dad knew he would. If I did stay in that house, I'd never be able to let go or move on so Jiraiya is forcing me out into the world. That's what dad would have wanted. He would have wanted me to grow up and move on. Jiraiya knows that, too. That's why he sold the house.

It's not like I don't understand. It was just hard. I wanted to bury dad way out in the back field by the ancient tree. That's where he used to take me when we would ride the horses together, a long time before he got sick. He told me that he and mom used to go out there and watch the sunrise before they had me. So, I thought it was the perfect place to lay him to rest but Jiraiya said no. He said dad wouldn't have wanted to be buried on the farm. He wanted to be buried by mom in the village cemetery. Knowing dad, he probably just didn't want to creep out the new owners with his gravestone. He'd want them to make the same kind of memories we made. I can understand that. He was always thoughtful like that.

When Jiraiya told me we would be selling the house, I had to force myself to be okay with it. Then, he told me that fun travels really meant a shitty move into the shitty city that I did not want to make only _while_ we were driving into the city to look at apartments. Then, he told me that I was moving into the apartment all by my damn self only _after_ the lease was signed. Apparently, he had taken the liberty of enrolling me into the university and was going to be doing all that alleged fun travelling by himself. I would have normally been angry with him but I knew he was only trying to fulfill mom and dad's wishes. How could I be angry when it was so plainly written all over Jiraiya's face? He just wanted to help give me the life that they couldn't, seeing as they were dead.

After a few days of coming to terms with everything, it got easier. The hardest part was standing at my parents' graves. We had packed everything up and moved most of it into my apartment. Jiraiya only kept what he really needed for his travels and then we went together on our last trip from the house to say goodbye to mom and dad. I actually started crying. I knew it was only an hour and a half drive if I wanted to come visit their graves but it all felt so final when we were there. It felt like I would never be home again but that was all before I met Uchiha Sasuke. That brings me to where I am today and the story I'm about to tell you. This is a story about Sasuke, really. It's about how everything that my father ever taught me came to be useful when I met Sasuke.

I hate my small apartment, even though it _is_ rather nice. Jiraiya has all the bills paid for. I don't question how. I just thank him and give him all of the dirty details about my life every time he calls, always from a different place. I hate this shitty city because it's nothing like the cool, clean country air that I miss. I hate this university because… well… it's school and school is work. Not to mention, I have to go way out of my way to find any good ramen joints. I hate a lot of stuff about my new life but I love Sasuke.


	2. Chapter 2: Paint Me A Memory

**A/N:** There's a link for a layout of Naruto's apartment at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Paint Me A Memory**

Naruto groaned unhappily as the ringer on his phone echoed loudly throughout his bedroom. He rolled over in his bed to turn his back toward it, hoping it would just stop. The ringing, of course, persisted. He rolled back over and slapped around his bedside table lazily for his phone.

"Hello?" he answered in a cold and croaky tone.

"Naruto! Glad to see you're awake at this time! Very diligent of you," the far too cheerful voice shouted excitedly on the other end of the call.

"I'm not, Jiraiya. I'm sleeping," Naruto responded dryly.

"Come on now! Wake up! Get some ramen! Talk to me!"

Naruto groaned loudly. "I haven't found _ONE_ good ramen place anywhere. I blame that on you." Naruto mumbled angry accusations along the lines of how Jiraiya ruined his life as he sat up in his bed and rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes.

"Don't be so sour, Naruto. You won't make any friends that way!"

Naruto scoffed. "The only friends I want to make are the kind that you meet for a week before travelling off to Peru or Amsterdam. Oh, wait," he started sourly, "that's your life, not mine."

"Alright! Alright! So crabby," Jiraiya whined at Naruto who grunted in response. "I'm going to believe it's because I woke you up before noon! Yeah?"

"Jiraiya... it's one in the afternoon. Where the hell are you?"

"Oh, ahhh, my bad! I'm in Amsterdam, actually! Hard to keep all these time zones in check!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. Of course Jiraiya would be in one of the two places that Naruto was dying to be. That bastard. "Yeah, whatever."

"Well, you're unpleasant. You should start getting into a better schedule. School starts in a month, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"Okay. Yeah, whatever," Jiraiya mocked Naruto. "You're grumpy so I'm going to get off of the phone. I'll call you tomorrow, instead, and try not to be so bitchy when I do."

Naruto wanted to continue being angry with Jiraiya but he couldn't help but laugh at the funny statement and soften his attitude. "Yeah. Whatever," he answered dramatically, causing Jiraiya to laugh.

"Alright! Bye, Naruto!"

Naruto grunted in place of a goodbye and hung up the phone. He fell back into his mattress and sighed theatrically. His life in the city really wasn't that bad. He just didn't want Jiraiya to know that he somewhat liked it. He wanted him to feel bad because, in truth, Naruto really did miss home and he really did wish he could be traveling with Jiraiya. He wouldn't admit a liking to the city. He just wouldn't. _Maybe,_ he thought to himself. _I should make friends. It does get really boring in here. Meh! Whatever!_ With that thought squashed, he decided to go on a hunt for any interesting events going on today but first, he had to have some ramen.

* * *

Naruto sighed with disappointment as he meandered around the art gallery that he was in. He did rather like art. He didn't have the patience or skill to actually create it but he didn't mind looking at it. This gallery, however, was especially uninteresting. He had only gone inside to kill some time. He was bored and wandering around near his apartment to see if there was anything interesting going on. The gallery looked decent enough from outside and he was really curious about what was inside.

All of the art was good enough but none of it really interested the blond. He didn't like any of it, not that it was terrible or anything. He wasn't sure exactly what he liked in art but he knew that whatever was all over these walls wasn't quite nailing it. Just then, a piece in the far corner caught his eye. _Finally,_ he thought. _Something interesting._ He walked over to admire the work. There were bright colors splashed all about the canvas in a haphazard manner but off to one side was a small, dark, hooded figure which the color did not touch. There was a small field of white canvas surrounding his body. Naruto tilted his head sideways. He guessed that it was abstract art and he really liked it.

"You like it?" a voice asked from behind him, causing him to jump a bit and blush lightly at the embarrassing reaction.

"Oh... uh... yeah." Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "It's pretty cool."

"Cool? Why?" the boy questioned. He had short, dark brown hair and his energy was very inviting.

"Um... well... it's interesting. It makes you wonder," Naruto answer uneasily. He felt oddly like he was being judged. He didn't like making art talk because the people who made it were always crude and snobby but this boy seemed nice enough.

"Hah! Yeah, well, I know the artist. Interesting is definitely the word I would use," the boy snickered. He offered his hand to Naruto. "I'm Kiba."

"Oh... uhh... hi..." Naruto shook his hand politely. "I'm Naruto." Naruto was strangely interested in the artist now that he was standing here with one of his friends. "You know the artist?"

Kiba smiled mischievously at Naruto's interest. "Yeah, I do. My boyfriend works with him. I can get you in with him," Kiba paused and wagged his brows suggestively, "if you want."

"Huh? No!" Naruto exclaimed in shock, realizing what Kiba was thinking. "No! What the hell? I wasn't saying... I mean... I wasn't... I'm not..."

Kiba waved a quieting hand. "Nah, I get it. My bad. Most people already know him when they come for his art. He has quite the reputation. They usually just come to shack up with him, y'know? I've tried to hook him up with at least a billion people but he always turns them down. Don't know why."

Naruto stared at the brunette with skepticism. He was wondering if this guy was a creep. "Do you always just hang around his art?"

"Oh, no! Well, yeah, actually." Kiba laughed with a warm smile. He was too kind to be a creep or maybe that was just the perfect cover so that people didn't suspect him. It's always the subdued, nice ones that turn out to be crazy stalkers. Kiba was picking up on Naruto's vibe. "Like I said, my boyfriend works with him. He's my friend... kind of. I always come to try and help sell their art. This gallery only started showing them last night. My boyfriend is around here somewhere, probably desperately avoiding buyers. That's what I'm for. He's not very social."

Naruto nodded. His explanation seemed genuine. He wasn't a creep. "Okay... and so you try to help this guy out as well?" Naruto asked while gesturing to the painting.

"Hah!" Kiba laughed that warm laugh again. "No, I don't. He doesn't need help. His work sells before I even have a chance to try. I usually only market Gaara's stuff. That's my boyfriend, Gaara. It's pretty dead today, though, and this is the only one left of his that hasn't sold. I saw you really admiring it. Nobody ever does. It's mostly fangirls that come and snatch up his work. He doesn't care as long as it gets sold but I do care. This is the first time in a long time I've seen someone actually _look_ at his work and it really is a good one to admire. I'd buy it if I were you."

Naruto smiled. "You're good at selling these things. Trying to make nice just to get me to buy."

Kiba shook his head. "Nah, man. I really don't sell his stuff. It's just that... this one is special. I had them tuck it away in a corner and leave the artist's name off of it because I wanted someone real to buy it. I wanted someone to buy it who would appreciate it every day for the rest of its life. He won't admit it but this painting is probably the deepest thing he's ever painted. I see it. I see that you see it, too. You're the perfect contender."

Naruto nodded as he turned to regard the painting again. "So which is he?"

"What?" Kiba asked in confusion.

"Is he the color? Is he the figure? Or is he the barrier between?" Naruto continued to analyze the painting.

"That's a question you should ask him," Kiba answered. "You should meet us," he started and Naruto turned to look at him with slight apprehension. _Shit,_he thought. _I think I'm making friends._ Kiba smiled warmly at Naruto. "We're all meeting up for beers at Tony's later."

"Uhh... I'm... I'm not twenty-one," Naruto answered, feeling instantly uncool.

Kiba laughed. "None of us are but the owner is cool with us. It's no problem as long as you aren't driving."

"Okay." Naruto decided that having a few beers wouldn't be so bad. "Where is Tony's?" Kiba gave him a weird look. "I just moved in around here."

"Oh! Alright!" Kiba smiled with new understanding. "It's about two blocks up the street. Let me give you my number and you can call if you get lost." Naruto nodded and handed over his phone. Kiba entered his number as he spoke, "We'll be there at eight." He handed Naruto's phone back to him.

Naruto nodded. "So... uh... how much is the painting?"

Kiba clapped him on the back of the shoulder. "That's another thing you should ask him. He has no idea I tucked it away and took off the price. Who knows what he wants to sell it for. I don't remember." He smiled one last warming smile at Naruto and walked away around a corner. Naruto decided that he rather liked him.

Naruto looked over the painting one last time. He was very curious about the artist. He actually wanted to buy the painting after talking to Kiba. He'd have to ask Jiraiya to wire him the money for it. Hopefully, he wouldn't complain too much about Naruto needing a job. Naruto smiled. He was making friends and it actually felt nice. He liked it. Perhaps, it wouldn't be so bad here after all.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm posting the layout for Naruto's apartment. It's a bit unique. I should point out that this will be useful for the next chapter. You shouldn't need one but if it asks for a password, pm me and I'll give it to you. Unless you already know it. I don't have to tell this, I bet, but removed the **DOT**s and replace them with real periods. Also, there is a space in the word 'Memories' near the end of that link between the letter 'm' and the letter 'o' that I can't seem to be rid of. Make sure you delete it too when you put the link in the address bar.

i169 **DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/NarutosFloorPlanForMovingMem ories_zps5dab65b6 **DOT **png

I'm thinking about doing up a general land plot of Naruto's country home, not an inside layout but just a general sketch of what his land looked like. Any thoughts?


	3. Chapter 3: To Sell Or Not To Sell

**A/N:** You can find a floor plan of Tony's at the bottom of this chapter and bit of an explanation.

* * *

**Chapter Three: To Sell Or Not To Sell**

Naruto huffed as he furiously unbuttoned his shirt. His search for the proper attire for his meeting with Kiba had quickly grown tiresome. Why was he so stressed out about what he would wear anyway? Who really cares? It's not like he even knows these guys. _Ugh,_ Naruto groaned internally. _I just want to make a good impression. _Naruto then wondered why it even mattered so much to him. He had never been this type of guy. He had never cared what others thought. He was never concerned with first impressions because he was very likable and he knew it. He didn't _have_ to care. Back in his hometown, it was a rare occasion that he met someone new and, whenever he did, he didn't have to worry about the kind of impression he was making. He was naturally sociable. People liked him. So what was the big deal now? Kiba liked him enough to invite him out for drinks. Why was he so freaked out? Why was he so worried about what shirt to wear?

"Fuck," Naruto cursed as a button near the bottom of his shirt popped off.

It was his nicest dress shirt, too, and now it was missing a goddamn button. _Just my luck._ Suddenly coming to the conclusion that a shirt as nice as this one was a poor choice for a few casual beers anyway, he ripped off the shirt, unconcerned with the remaining buttons. He turned from his mirror to his closet and tossed the damaged shirt to the floor. This fashion crisis (which was actually imaginary, by the way, considering it really didn't matter what shirt he wore) was making him far too edgy. He was inexplicably troubled about this first meeting with his first potential friends and he was taking it out on his dress shirts. He sighed with annoyance as he rummaged with little interest through the clothes hanging inside his closet.

"Bah! Fuck it," he finally groaned. "I'll wear,"—he looked around his messy room and spotted an orange t-shirt on the floor—"that! I'll wear that! Whatever!" He picked it up to determine its cleanliness. After smelling it, he nodded in approval. "It'll do."

He pulled the shirt on and looked at himself in the mirror. He regretted the choice immediately. He wanted to change... again. He suddenly didn't like the way his washed out, holy jeans looked with the shirt. It was too casual now. He moved his hands to the button of his pants and was just about to rip them off in a flurry when his phone beeped loudly from his bed. He muttered an disgruntled grumble. It was the alarm that he had set for 7:45 to remind himself not to be late. Since he was suddenly so concerned with first impressions, he didn't want his first potential friends to get the impression that he wasn't punctual, even if he notoriously wasn't. He contemplated his plan of action for a long moment before deciding to leave the pants in favor of arriving on time, assuming he didn't get lost on the way. He could barely remember how to get back to the art gallery. Plus, he would have to walk all the way there if he wanted those underage beers. Kiba had said it was fine only if he didn't drive. He picked up a black jacket and threw it on, grabbing his keys, his wallet, and his phone in a rush and shoving them in his pockets. He left his apartment quickly. He wasn't actually sure fifteen minutes would be enough time to get there and he didn't want to waste too much of it. He found his way to the art gallery that he and Kiba had met at and continued up the block.

"Kiba said it was two blocks up this way"—he stepped off of the sidewalk into the street to get a better look down the road—"but that all looks so... dead. There's no way there's a bar up there." He continued walking anyway and decided he should call Kiba to be sure. He pulled out his phone but suddenly decided that he didn't want to have an awkward phone call be their first post-invitation conversation. They had gotten along pretty damn well at the gallery. If they had a weird exchange on the phone, then that would ruin the illusion of their pre-established friendship-type-thing. He decided that texting would be best. _Can't be awkward there._ He sent Kiba a text asking for confirmation on his whereabouts.

He waited until he had passed a whole other block. He was coming up on his second block, the one that Kiba said the bar would be on and Kiba still hadn't replied. Naruto searched through his contacts hesitantly. "I guess I'm gonna _have_ to call him." He really didn't want to create any awkwardness between the two but he had no choice. He was lost. The phone rang through to voicemail and Naruto sighed. Maybe Kiba was only joking with him. Maybe Kiba didn't actually want Naruto to come and he had just sent him on a wild goose chase for fun. "Noooo," Naruto decided, "why would he do that?" Naruto stopped midway up the block in front of an alley. He was just about to try calling Kiba again until he heard Kiba's voice.

"Naruto!" Kiba called from down the alley. "Hey! I was a little worried to be honest!"

Why the hell was Kiba in such a sketchy place? He was in a dead neighborhood, in a dark alley. Maybe Kiba really _was_ a creep. "Uhh... Yeah... Hey..." Naruto answered politely as he began to walk reluctantly toward Kiba. "I... uh... I tried calling you."

"Yeah and texting. Sorry! I didn't notice but I caught a glimpse of the clock inside and noticed it was past eight, so I checked my phone and came out to track you down. I should have just offered to pick you up or something but, luckily, you were just right there when I walked out!" Kiba flashed that inviting smile and Naruto's nerves eased. He had forgotten how nice Kiba was.

_There's no way he's a creep. This is just a creepy place._ "So... uh... inside? Where is that?"

"Oh," Kiba said, "it's through there." Kiba motioned toward a door just behind him. "Tony's is pretty underground. A friend owns the bar but his family is like, really against that whole thing, so he keeps it on the down low. Y'know, just trying to keep his snobby parents off of his back. They let him keep it as long as it doesn't tarnish their reputation and as long as Ita, yeah," Kiba began on a side note, "Itachi! Isn't it kinda funny that he named his bar Tony's but his name is Itachi? It was probably just to keep his precious name out of the public, you know. I never asked him. I should. Anyway, if it means he can keep the bar without any hassle from his parents, he doesn't mind being underground. It keeps out all the people we don't want anyway, right?"

"Uhh... Yeah... Right." Naruto chuckled. He was relaxed by this point. Kiba was just like him. He was friendly, talkative, and light-spirited. It was like they were long lost brothers. They were definitely going to get along. In fact, Naruto found himself kind of admiring him. Was Naruto experiencing his first boy crush? Naruto couldn't help the smirk that fell across his face. Kiba was really... cute.

Kiba, being very intuitive, picked up on Naruto's change of energy. Kiba could tell that Naruto was just like himself. He was open and spirited but it just took him a bit of warming up to get to that point. He wasn't sure if he should interpret Naruto's new attitude as friendly or something a little bit more suggestive. Kiba was always analyzing people and feeling them out but he was pretty good at keeping that side hidden. You'd never be able to tell if he was judging you. He didn't know exactly what Naruto's new vibe meant but he chose to believe it was strictly friendly. Out of anyone, Kiba understood how easy it was, being a friendly person himself, for people to confuse nice as flirty. He was always caught in that misconception. That was probably all that was happening between Naruto and himself right now. He smiled his trademarked smile.

"Anyway, let's go in," Kiba offered as he opened the door and lead Naruto in, "so you can meet the guys! I'm glad you came, Naruto," he continued as he lead him down a staircase and then down a hallway littered with drunken couples hooking up. "I was a bit worried that you wouldn't. I thought maybe I was coming on too strong."

_Too strong_, Naruto perked up as he heard the words. _Does that mean he was coming on to me?_ He couldn't dismiss the thoughts. He was sure that he was receiving confirmation that his first boy crush was crushing on him, too.

Kiba laughed heartily. "I do that sometimes. It really makes Gaara mad."

_Gaara. Hmm,_ Naruto pondered in his head. _I forgot about him. He has a boyfriend._

"He says I'm too friendly. Can you believe that? How can you be _too_ friendly?"

"Yeah," Naruto answered, somewhat subdued. He wasn't sure what to make of Kiba anymore. Was he just mixing up Kiba's intentions or was Kiba really coming on to Naruto even though he has a boyfriend? _Or maybe..._

"He can seem a bit standoffish but, once you get to know him, he's really great. He's not really social but he's actually super open. You just gotta get in his good graces."

_Yeah, maybe that _**_is_**_ it. Maybe they have an open relationship,_ Naruto decided. _Is _**_that_**_ what I am? A new potential... addition._

"He'll love you, though! You're just like me! You'll definitely get along. He'll have no choice but to submit to that likable personality of yours." Kiba's smiled shined bright as he glanced over his shoulder at Naruto.

_Like me? Oh, that's it. I'm definitely their new boy toy._ Suddenly, Naruto was panicked. _Oh god! What do I do?_

Kiba picked up on the panic immediately and his smile faltered. They were nearing the bar entrance now and Naruto could hear the sound of a live band growing louder. "But, hey, don't worry! Don't be nervous or anything! I know I paint Gaara as a scary guy but he's not. Like I said, he'll love you!" Kiba slapped Naruto's shoulder reassuringly and offered him another smile as he planted a hand firmly on the door that they now stood in front of. Naruto nodded nervously. He wasn't sure how to feel anymore. Kiba took the nod earnestly and leaned into the door. As it opened, the music of the band grew exceptionally loud.

Naruto followed Kiba in and examined his surroundings. The bar was a fairly decent size. It was full of people but it wasn't too packed. There was ample room on the dance floor. To his left was the stage, on which an alternative band now played. To his right were tables and just beyond, the bar. Even further to the right, in a narrow cove, were more tables. Most of the tables were occupied by groups. Kiba began walking toward the bar and Naruto followed. As they neared the bar, the music dimmed a bit. Here, it made good background music. It wasn't so loud to the point that you'd have to shout over it. Kiba leaned over the bar and requested a pitcher of beer from a tall, slender man with long, black hair that was tied back in a ponytail. He smiled and nodded at Kiba as he filled their pitcher.

He hesitated just before handing it over. "And who's your friend?" he asked skeptically, nodding at Naruto.

"This is Naruto! Naruto," Kiba continued as he regarded the blond, "this is Itachi. Ita owns the place."

"Oh, yeah," Naruto exclaimed. The uncertainty between Kiba and himself was waning. He didn't really want to worry about it. He just wanted to have fun. "Kiba told me about you. I won't be driving tonight. You can be sure of that," Naruto explained as he stepped up on a bar stool rung and leaned across the bar, reaching his hand all the way over to offer a handshake. His father had always taught him to do the bulk of the work. Meeting someone and expecting them to reach all the way across the bar to shake _your_ hand was just absurd. Itachi stared blankly at Naruto for a moment before bursting into laughter. He set the pitcher down in front of Kiba and stepped up on something behind the bar to get extra leverage as he swatted Naruto's hand away.

"I like you!" he exclaimed as he trapped Naruto in a friendly hug. It lasted only a moment before Itachi retreated and stepped down, prompting Naruto to do the same. "I hug people that I like, here," Itachi explained, "but how _did_ you get here, Naruto?"

"Umm..." Naruto stammered, still recovering from the surprise hug.

"He walked," Kiba answered for him. "No keys to confiscate."

"In that case," Itachi began as he threw his hands up, "enjoy the beer."

Kiba thanked Itachi and picked up the beer, beckoning Naruto to follow. Naruto gave Itachi a friendly nod as he complied. He decided that he rather liked Itachi, too. Naruto had expected to be led through the crowd some more so he was surprised to find that Kiba set the pitcher down at a table that was only a few feet away. There, sat two boys, both with a scowl. The redhead was scowling at Naruto and the one with black hair was scowling at the bartender.

"Hi," Naruto offered as he smiled happily at the boys. Despite their uninviting expressions, he was feeling rather bright at the moment. He really liked this bar.

Noticing the lack of response, Kiba shot the black-haired boy a warning glare as he slapped the redhead on the arm. "Guys! This is Naruto."

The redhead sighed and rolled his eyes, full of disapproval, to rest on Kiba. It was as if they were sharing an unspoken thought. Kiba responded by slapping him on the arm again. "Hello. My name is Gaara," the redhead finally offered as he sank back in his chair and folded his arms.

Kiba sighed as he offered Naruto an apologetic look. Naruto shrugged off the intensity of the situation and sat down at the table, removing his jacket. He had decided that first impressions weren't important at all. These guys were making terrible ones. He knew he couldn't do worse as long as he was just himself. He smiled brightly at the redhead. "It's cool. You don't know me." Internally, Naruto was rejoicing. If he _was_ meant be Kiba and Gaara's little... toy, then Gaara was clearly not having it. He was in the clear. "I'll just tell you something about myself," Naruto continued happily. Gaara's expression softened. However, the black-haired boy kept an unwavering scowl trained behind the bar. "Okay, so I'm Naruto. I'm nineteen. I'm starting at University this year. I like the color orange. It's my favorite! And... um... Oh! I love ramen!"

Gaara fought it, but his attitude was growing lighter. Naruto had that effect on people, just like Kiba. Recognizing this, Kiba took the opportunity to continue the sharing circle in hopes that Gaara would open up even more. "Okay! So I'll go next! I'm Kiba. I'm nineteen. My favorite color is... hm..."—he smiled coyly at Gaara—"the color of my dear Gaara's hair." He ran his fingers through it, eliciting a genuine smile from the redhead. "I'm also starting at university. We all are, actually," Kiba explained as he turned to Naruto, "and I _love_ fish!"

"_Way_ too much," Gaara added with a snicker. Kiba's chest puffed up noticeably with pride at the change of Gaara's attitude. "Gaara. I'm twenty," Gaara continued as he nodded in approval at Naruto. "I like beer," he finished as he sat up to fill his mug. Naruto and Kiba chuckled as Gaara offered to fill their mugs, too. He even filled the fourth mug on the table and Kiba gave Naruto a look that clearly boasted something along the lines of 'didn't I tell you he'd like you'. After taking sips from their mugs, all three boys turned their gaze to the last one. The dark-haired boy had dropped his scowl and was now staring at the bubbles in his beer. Gaara elbowed him, which earned him a glare. "Well, this is Sasuke," Gaara began. "He's a twenty year old antisocial bitch who likes the soul-sucking color of black and he probably eats innocent kittens for dinner." Naruto and Kiba laughed at Gaara's joke.

"You're the antisocial one, baka," the dark-haired answered but he didn't seem to lighten up. "My favorite color _is_ black, though." He turned his attention to Naruto. "I hate ramen." His voice was flat and his eyes were void of any indication of emotion, positive or negative, but his lips twitched up into a subtle smirk. Naruto cocked his head to the side as he analyzed the boy. He was intriguing. He smiled at Sasuke. He got the impression that Sasuke had actually taken a liking to him, no matter how stoic he seemed resolved to remain. Sasuke rejected the smile with a sneer, though.

"Sasuke is the artist I was talking about, Naruto," Kiba blurted out, desperate for something to break the tension Sasuke was filling the air with. It was apparently, the wrong choice of words. Both Sasuke and Naruto stiffened up at the statement but both for very different reasons. Naruto was now plagued with questions and new anxiety. He had been obsessing about meeting that artist all day and now he was right in front of him. What should he say? Sasuke, on the other hand, was suspicious of Kiba's intentions.

"What?" Sasuke questioned. "What were you talking about me for? Is this another one of your projects, Kiba?"

"Please," Kiba scoffed, "does he look like a lady?"

"I just thought you finally got the hint or, rather, gave up on your joke of sending my fangirls. They're not my type."

_His type,_ Naruto wondered. _Is he gay, too?_

"Nope," Kiba reassured. "He was admiring your work when I ran into him at the gallery earlier. That's all."

"So, I was wondering—" Naruto began before being cut off. He wanted to know about the work. He wanted the price, the details, the story.

"What work?" Sasuke interrupted Naruto, glaring at Kiba. "It's all been sold."

"Ahhh, yeah, about that," Kiba started to explain.

He knew that Sasuke would probably be mad. Kiba had tried to talk to Sasuke about the piece before it was taken to the gallery. He felt like they finally had something deep to connect over. He was just as curious then as Naruto was now. He wanted to know why Sasuke painted it and how Sasuke felt. That was a joke, though. Expecting _Sasuke_ to divulge his emotions. Bah! He simply did not speak about his art but it hadn't stopped Kiba from being curious. This was an especially moving piece if you knew Sasuke like Kiba did. The conversation had grown pretty tense, however, and Sasuke warned Kiba to let it be. He said that he just wanted to be rid of it like any other piece of art that he painted. It wasn't up for discussion. That's why Kiba tucked it away to begin with. Sasuke seemed so touchy about it. It meant something, even if he didn't want to admit it. He knew that Sasuke would be angry when he found out, though. He had done exactly what Sasuke was trying to avoid. He had prompted... no, _facilitated_ someone's desire to find Sasuke and actually try to _talk_ about the painting and, unavoidably, his feelings.

"What the hell did you do, Kiba?" Sasuke questioned angrily.

"Calm down," Gaara warned Sasuke.

"I just thought it should be given to someone who'd appreciate it. Naruto is definitely that guy," Kiba defended. "I put it in a corner and removed the price and your name. I figured that someone who really cared about it would buy it that way, someone like Naruto."

"You son of a—"

"Hey!" Gaara threatened. "Calm the fuck down, Sasuke. Kiba was only trying to do the right thing."

"The right thing would have been to respect my wishes as the artist and kindly fuck the fuck off," Sasuke spat, earning an angry glare from Gaara.

Gaara was, clearly, very protective of his companion. Kiba placed his hand on the back of Gaara's neck, extending his thumb to rest beneath Gaara's ear just behind his jaw hinge. He rubbed the skin there with his thumb gently to comfort him. They seemed really close and the closer, the better. It was just further confirmation that Naruto wasn't their potential boy toy or that Kiba wasn't trying to cheat on Gaara. Sasuke chugged his beer quickly and slammed down his cup.

He looked at Naruto with an exceptionally hard to read expression. "It's not for sale anymore. In fact, it's coming down tonight."

With that, Sasuke stood roughly. He seemed to calm down a bit as he look around the table at all three boys while he shrugged on his jacket. He didn't offer a goodbye, though, when he turned to leave. Itachi shouted goodbye to Sasuke from across the bar but he only lifted his middle finger in response. Naruto watched him slip out through the crowd.

"Interesting guy," he said. "What's his issue?"

Kiba snickered at the question. "What isn't?" Gaara joked.

"Actually," Kiba started as he shared a mischievous glance with Gaara whose expression softened surprisingly down into the same mischievous glint, "I think he liked you."

* * *

**A/N:** Here is the layout for Tony's. The smaller diagram on the left shows you how to get to Tony's and the larger one is inside Tony's. Sorry if it's a little confusing. If you have any questions you can certainly ask. There shouldn't be one but if there is a password and it asks you for it, pm me and I'll gladly give it to you. Don't forget to replace the **DOT**s with real periods.

i169 **DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/Tonys_zpsdafda23a **DOT **png

What I'm about to say won't make any sense if you don't look at the layout. To elaborate on the outdoor stairs: That door leads to the outdoor stairs which lead up to the normal ground level. The steps come out in front of the building but since the building is located in an almost industrial neighborhood, the street isn't busy so it's kind of like just leading out to another alley. Once you get to the top of the stairs, you would be on a small landing enclosed by metal caging. Itachi has placed a couple of tables and chairs out there for convenience since this is where the smokers go to smoke. Also on that landing is the entrance to the building that's on the normal ground level, the place above Tony's but that place is vacant and locked up.

Now, it would make NO SENSE if that metal caging was inescapable. There is, indeed, a door in that metal caging that leads out to the street and the world beyond but that door is always locked. It can only be opened by a key that the landlord has. The same man owns both the vacant building above Tony's AND the space below, where Tony's is located. He's Itachi's landlord and, therefore, the owner of the magical cage door key. Itachi has the key to the cage door for obvious reasons. He needs to be able to lock and unlock that door. At the landlord's request, the cage door stays locked, though. So the only way to reach Tony's is via the alley entrance unless you're personally let in by Itachi or his landlord.

Like I said, that caged landing is utilized by the smoking crowd that Tony's reels in. I hope that's all clear.


	4. Chapter 4: Exorcise My Demons

**Warning:** Yaoi in the form of a boyxboy kiss. It's innocent but be warned anyway.Well, it's not _innocent_ but it's not gonna get you all hot 'n bothered, not unless you're really easily turned on. If that's the case, then buckle up lmao xD

* * *

**Chapter Four: Exorcise My Demons**

Naruto stared at Kiba in astonishment. _Is this guy crazy,_ Naruto found himself questioning.

"You think he liked me?" Naruto asked incredulously. Kiba smiled wide. "If you think _that_ was taking a _liking_ to someone, then you're delusional. That would explain why you thought Gaara would like me, too. You, clearly, don't know what it means to _like_ someone."

"I like you," Gaara defended quickly. "Who said I didn't?"

"Uh, your glowering face for the majority of the time that I've been here," Naruto answered, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world which, truthfully, it probably was.

"I'm not glowering at you anymore," Gaara stated in the same obvious tone.

"Well," Naruto said, "you _were_! Just because you're not _now_ doesn't mean you weren't!"

"True," Kiba agreed, "but I said Gaara would like you, not that he'd like you from the second he met you and I think I can remember telling you that he takes a bit of warming up." Naruto scowled at the pair. They were proving him wrong so easily.

"Well, whatever! That's not the point!" he exclaimed. "The point is that"—Naruto gestured to where Sasuke had just been seated—"_that _was loathing, _not_ liking."

"Yeah, but loathing is typical of Sasuke," Gaara informed. "If he took to you brightly I'd be concerned for his mental health."

"Well, that's great," Naruto said sarcastically. "If he's not absolutely unpleasant, then he's off his rocker. What a fun guy."

"He _is_ fun," Kiba defended. "He's just a bit sour that I went behind his back like that. If anything, he loathes _me_ and you by association."

"If that's your attempt at comforting me," Naruto began, "it's terrible. I feel like shit."

"Why?" Gaara questioned loudly. "Who gives a fuck what Sasuke thinks of you? It's Sasuke."

"I give a fuck!" Naruto exclaimed.

"What? Are you in looooove with him?" Gaara teased.

"I want his painting and I sure can't have it if he's loathing me by association, can I?" argued Naruto.

"Naruto is a lot like me, Gaara," Kiba began to explain. "When people are mad at him, it tugs at his heart. He's a sensitive soul"

"Am not!" Naruto defended quickly.

Kiba and Gaara shared a laugh. "Are too," argued Gaara.

"Oh, whatever! Shut up," Naruto demanded. "I'm just… I want that painting. That's all."

"You want that Sasuke, too, don't you?" Gaara jested.

"We're just poking fun at you," Kiba said playfully. "You _do_ have a sensitive soul, though. So do I!" Kiba added when Naruto glared at him. "Who cares? Why deny it? It's nothing to be ashamed of. It just means you're a good guy. Right, Gaara?" Kiba turned expectant eyes to his companion.

"Sure," Gaara said dismissively. "In any case, I'll bet you can still get it."

"Excuse me?" Kiba interjected. "I said, isn't that right?"

Gaara sighed. "Of course, dear," Gaara agreed. "You're sensitive soul makes you a great guy. No, a wonderful guy, no, stupendous, no—" Gaara's dramaticized excitement grew until he was just about to shout when Kiba slapped his hand firmly against Gaara's mouth, laughing at him.

"All _right_," he said, chuckling, "I get it. Don't get carried away."

Gaara removed Kiba's hand from his mouth. "How can I not when it comes to you?"

Kiba swooned. "You're so good appeasing me, aren't you?"

"What are boyfriends for?" Gaara said jokingly. He, then, placed a swift kiss on Kiba's lips and returned his attention back to Naruto.

"So, anyway, I'll bet you can still get it," Gaara repeated. "Probably Sasuke, too," he added with a wink.

"Yeah," Naruto asked with interest, "and how is that?"

"Well, he _did_ like you," Gaara pointed out.

"Not _that_," Naruto interrupted quickly. "I mean the painting!"

Gaara chuckled. "I'll bet he'd hand it over if you ask nicely."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "Whatever. He did _not_ like me," he added.

"He liked you before Kiba went and told him about the painting," Gaara pointed out, turning an accusatory eye to Kiba. Despite Sasuke's temper and attitude, he _was_ fun and he was Kiba and Gaara's favorite friend. Gaara was a bit annoyed that Kiba had to go and run him off like that after a mere half an hour.

"Hey," Kiba began to defend himself, "that's the whole reason I invited Naruto! I said he could meet Sasuke over beers. What was I supposed to do?"

"Not piss Sasuke off," Gaara offered, raising an eyebrow and daring Kiba to argue.

"Yeah," Naruto added and Kiba turned to him with a look of betrayal.

"You're accusing me of treason too?" Kiba exclaimed.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders in what was supposed to be innocence. "You dug your own grave."

With that, Kiba made to punch Naruto's arm playfully but fell off of his bar stool. Gaara and Naruto shared a riotous laugh at his expense and Kiba, unable to deny the humor in the situation, joined in. After a great deal of laughter, though, Kiba got serious.

"It's not funny," he said with a valiant attempt at pouting.

"There's that sensitive soul of yours," Naruto pointed out wittily and they all chuckled.

"Seriously, though," Gaara began, "what's so interesting about that painting?"

"I don't know," Naruto answered, shrugging his shoulders and trying to seem casual, like he wasn't all that interested. "It's… interesting, I guess. I think, it says a lot… about Sasuke, I mean."

"So do I," Kiba agreed swiftly. "I'm glad that _someone_ understands my point of view." With that, Kiba shot Gaara a sideways glance. Clearly, they had disagreed over it.

"What do you think of it?" Naruto asked Gaara.

"I think that all of Sasuke's work says something," Gaara said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Kiba exclaimed automatically. "You do?"

"Well, yeah," Gaara said as if the answer should have been obvious.

"I didn't know that," Kiba replied. "I thought you just enjoyed arguing with me about it. You didn't explain that to me when—"

"You never gave me a chance to explain," Gaara interjected. "I've always thought Sasuke's work was interesting. It should go to people who truly admire it but Sasuke is… well… Sasuke. You can't butt heads with him. He'll always win."

"So you don't think that this piece is any more extraordinary than the rest?" Naruto questioned.

"No," Kiba answered for Gaara at once.

"Yes," Gaara disagreed, much to Kiba's surprise, "I do."

"What?" Kiba exclaimed again, repeating himself exactly. "You do?"

"I do," Gaara confirmed with a chuckle. "I'm more curious as to why _you_ see it as something extraordinary," he directed to Naruto.

Kiba's interest in Gaara switched immediately to Naruto who shrugged, trying again to seem casual. "It's conflicted. It feels like… like I can understand. It makes me curious. It makes me want to understand Sasuke," he explained slowly. Kiba and Gaara exclaimed significant glances and smiled at each other. "What?" Naruto asked, suspicious.

"If you want to understand Sasuke, you're shit out of luck," Kiba said blatantly. "There is _way_ too much baggage in—"

"It sounds like you're the perfect person for the painting," Gaara interjected, negligent of Kiba's remark. Naruto would have ran with the topic of Sasuke's baggage.

"Absolutely," Kiba agreed, abandoning the topic of understanding Sasuke completely. Naruto thought this a bit fishy. He didn't know them very well but he thought that this was the type of thing they wouldn't drop so easily and, yet, they had. Naruto followed in suit and dropped it too, even though he was really curious about Sasuke and his past.

"Yeah, well, I'll never get it now," Naruto stated unhappily, focusing on the painting.

"I'm sure you can still get the painting," Gaara assured. Naruto smiled at Gaara, mostly trying to convince himself to be happier, and nodded, even though he didn't really believe Gaara's words. "And I _do_ like you," Gaara added with a smile. Naruto's smile widened and grew more genuine and he nodded again more honestly.

"It looks like they're off," Kiba noted as a change in subject, looking past Naruto at the band that had stopped playing the background. Gaara turned his attention past Naruto too and to the lead singer who was pronouncing his love for the crowd dramatically.

Naruto looked over his shoulder and, then, back at the pair before him. "You know the band?" he asked, slightly impressed. People who knew bands were always cool.

"Yeah," Kiba affirmed, "They're friends of ours."

"Hardly," Gaara added bitterly. Naruto knit his brows in confusion.

"You don't like them?" he asked Gaara and Gaara scoffed.

"He likes them," Kiba answered, more as a warning to Gaara than as a response to Naruto.

Gaara snorted with humorless laughter. "I don't hate them all, just one."

Kiba couldn't fight the smile as he reminisced on the humor of their previous conversation but his voice was serious. "Can it, Gaara," he warned. "You'll be nice."

Gaara rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll play nice but if that asshole presses me I'll slug him right in the face," Gaara said hotly.

"He's always perfectly polite to you," Kiba argued.

"Yeah, perfectly polite and smug as fuck," Gaara spat.

Kiba took in a gasp as if he couldn't believe his ears. "He is not," Kiba retorted. "You're delusional. Why are you so against him, anyway?"

"Why are you so _for_ him?" Gaara argued, sitting up in his chair and raising a daring brow.

"Because I just am," Kiba answered immediately.

"Well, then, I _just_ am too," Gaara argued. Kiba gave a great huff of disapproval.

"Who are you talking about?" Naruto asked tentatively, feeling like he was intruding on their argument. They seemed to do that a lot but it was almost endearing to Naruto. They bickered relentlessly but it made Naruto smile. It seemed so natural for them and you could tell that they were never truly put out by each other. In fact, it seemed a lot like they couldn't get enough of each other.

"No one," Kiba said cheerily.

"Sai," Gaara said at the exact same time as Kiba with a growl. Kiba gave him a reproachful stare. "What?" Gaara said innocently. "He's not allowed to know Sai? Are you secretly fixing him up with Sasuke, even though you said you weren't? So you're admitting you don't like Sai?"

"What? No! I just… Oh, I don't know," Kiba exclaimed with a huff, defeated.

"What does… uh… Sai have to do with Sasuke?" Naruto asked with interest. Perhaps, a bit more interest than he was willing to let on.

"They're dating," Kiba said happily.

"No, they're not," Gaara disagreed. "They're fucking. There's a difference. Sai doesn't date."

Kiba huffed again. "Maybe he's changed for Sasuke. I sure think he has," Kiba argued.

"Of course, that's because of your gentle, naïve soul, Kiba," Gaara informed.

"What?" Kiba exclaimed with offense. "Oh… You're just… Urgh…" Kiba ended the sentence with yet another huff of frustration. Kiba was, clearly, the huffy puffy type but it wasn't as annoying as it usually was with other people. In fact, it was kind of funny. Kiba turned back to Naruto. "_I _think they're dating," he said. "You can think whatever you'd like."

Naruto nodded slowly. "So… you think you're friend is dating someone but you still send fans of his paintings to him as hookups?"

Gaara and Kiba seemed to, finally, come to an agreement and laugh at Naruto's question. "No," Kiba said, "I just send girls. They're not Sasuke's type," he explained. "It's just funny to watch. I wouldn't undermine a friend like that for real."

"Though," Gaara began, breaking the momentary placation between the two, "I wish you _would_ undermine Sai."

Kiba glared at him but didn't argue. "Anyway," Kiba said, turning back to Naruto, "you'll meet them all now."

Naruto looked over his shoulder and saw the band members hopping off stage and making their way toward the bar. The one leading the group through the crowd was the lead singer and there was a giant smile plastered across his face as he stared dead ahead at the bartender, Itachi, and moved hastily toward him. He looked like a hungry animal and Naruto found himself worried for the safety of Itachi. Itachi, however, to Naruto's surprise, pushed the drink he was making aside and stood on something behind the bar to lean over it, just as he had done to meet Naruto, with a hungry smile of his own drawn across his face. When he broke through the crowd, the singer rushed to the bar and met Itachi's lips fiercely. Naruto was momentarily shocked. He had seen guys kissing before—hell, he'd kissed guys before—but he just hadn't expected the bartender and his entertainment to kiss so plainly across the bar. The crowd in the bar cheered as they did, too.

When they broke apart Itachi said, loud enough for Naruto to hear, "We've got a new one, Dei. Meet him."

Naruto blushed as he realized that he was the new guy and their eyes flitted over to him. The singer nodded his affirmation and then he and Itachi winked at each other. Beckoning his band mates to follow, the singer rounded the corner of the bar and sat in the empty chair that was Sasuke's. He was tall with long, blond hair that fell midway down his back. It was tied up in a sloppy ponytail on top of his head with some fabric and there were chunks of hair that hung loosely out. He smiled wickedly at Naruto as his band mates stood behind him. He held out a hand for Naruto to shake.

"I'm Deidara," he said, "but you can call me Dei, everyone else does." Naruto shook his hand politely.

"I'm Naruto," Naruto said, trying not to sound intimidated or nervous. He was a very social guy but he had felt oddly resigned with meeting new people tonight, apparently.

"This is Kisame," Deidara said, pointing to his right at the tallest of the bunch who had short, black hair and fish gills tattooed on his neck. His pupils were animal-like slits and Naruto couldn't stop staring at them, thus, causing him to miss the man's hand as it sat in front of him waiting to be shaken.

"They're contacts," Kisame informed with a grin. Naruto laughed nervously, a bit embarrassed by his display and shook Kisame's hand quickly. "I play drums," Kisame added as an afterthought.

"This," Deidara began again, jabbing a thumb behind him to a girl with long, wavy, dirty blond hair that she wore up in bushy pigtails, "is Temari."

Temari smiled warmly at Naruto but did not offer her hand for shaking. "Hello," she practically sang while nodding at him. Naruto nodded back at her with a smile of his own. "I am Gaara's sister. I'm on guitar," she said happily.

"This fuck," Deidara began once again, waving a dismissive hand somewhere to the left and behind him to indicate a guy with black hair that fell past his ears and sat perfectly tussled on his forehead, "is Sai." Deidara's words weren't kind but his energy was still beaming. Naruto decided that it was just friendly jeering.

"Hi," said Sai in a voice that was as smooth as molasses. He was smiling at Naruto, his eyes shimmering, as he leaned dramatically between Deidara and Gaara, causing Gaara to scoff angrily and roll his eyes, and extended his hand for Naruto to shake. "I play bass," he said. "I've got to, you know, keep the rhythm," he practically purred.

Naruto shook his hand politely and as he let go, Sai slid his hand seductively up Naruto's arm and back down across his hand again before leaning away. Naruto stared at Sai incredulously as the invisible line Sai had just traced on his arm tingled. Sai was, clearly, _very_ flirty. Naruto swallowed hard and shrugged it off, trying desperately not to look at Sai, though, Sai's eyes were burning into Naruto's face. He felt himself blush unintentionally and Sai giggled. Then, Naruto heard an even louder and angrier grunt escape Gaara and everyone at the table seemed to tense up.

"We're off," Temari stated immediately, seizing Kisame by the arm.

Deidara smiled back at her, though, his energy seemed completely different now. "Take this fuck too, won't you?"

"Nope," she sang and hugged Kisame's arm tightly. "I won't." With a very girly and giddy wave, she was dragging Kisame off toward the dance floor who seemed to be protesting. There was a DJ set up on stage already and he was playing good music which she was, obviously, keen to dance to.

"Well—" Deidara began, regarding Naruto again. There was a devilish gleam in his eye and he smiled wickedly at Naruto.

"No!" Kiba cut in sternly. Naruto was so lost in Deidara's gaze that he had momentarily forgotten that anyone else was even there.

"Come on, Kiba," Gaara protested. "It'll be fun!"

"Yeah," Kiba said sarcastically, "or not!"

Naruto was curious but he was also afraid to ask what they were talking about.

"Sai will do it," Gaara stated, a hopeful glint in his eye.

"Yes, I will," Sai agreed quickly, his eyes still glued to Naruto's face.

"No, he won't," Kiba argued. "Sai, get that look off of your face," Kiba demanded. Gaara huffed with dismay.

"I'll do it," Deidara stated to stop the arguing. "Itachi's cool."

"No," Kiba said. "No one will do it!"

"Oh, why not?" Deidara exclaimed, turning round to look at Kiba. "It's not like he's not expecting it."

"I don't even know if he's…"—Kiba cleared his throat and gave Deidara a significant glance—"_gay._"

"Well, then, why is here with this lot?" Deidara exclaimed and Naruto felt more confused and concerned than before as Kiba looked like a child who had done wrong.

"I met him in the gallery today and I just invited him. He was into one of Sasuke's paintings," Kiba exclaimed. "It's not exactly the perfect atmosphere to just ask someone if they're… gay or not!"

"You invited a potentially _straight_ guy to a predominantly _gay_ bar," Deidara asked incredulously. He stressed the words so strongly that Naruto was starting to believe they were code words. "The fuck?"

"I… well… I…" Kiba tried to argue but settled on a defeated huff.

"I'm not straight," Naruto confirmed meekly, unsure whether that was a good thing or not or of whether they were actually talking about his sexuality anymore. Deidara took this as Naruto's understanding of their conversation and as an offer of his approval. In truth, Naruto had no clue what he was inadvertently agreeing to.

"Perfect," Deidara exclaimed, still looking at Kiba and now sporting a satisfied smile. "It's tradition, Kiba."

"It's still… not… no!" Kiba demanded.

"Oh, but it must be done," Deidara said happily and he turned quickly to Naruto.

What his plans were, Naruto didn't know but the look in his eyes matched the look he had donned while making his way to Itachi and Naruto was sure that he was either going to kiss him or kill him. Before he had a chance to do anything, though, Sai was upon Naruto and, to Naruto's great surprise, it was Sai's _lips_ that were attacking him. Naruto sat in utter shock for a long moment in which he looked at everyone at the table. Kiba was plainly furious and Gaara was satisfied but it wasn't a good satisfaction. It was the kind of satisfaction that you feel when you've caught your best friend's boyfriend cheating and you're happy cause you've always known he's a cheater but you're also mad because he's cheating on your best friend. Deidara was stuck between the same satisfaction of Gaara, the fury of Kiba, and utter amusement.

Sai made a strong hissing sound and detached from Naruto's lips. He pulled Naruto's head back firmly by gripping his hair and Naruto could no longer see what he was doing. Naruto was, finally, able to relocate his arms, due to panic, and he pushed Sai off of him roughly. He was mostly offended by the kiss but partly terrified by the noise Sai had just made and the fact that he could no longer see what Sai was doing. He couldn't be sure but he was positive that he didn't want it to happen.

"What the fuck?" Naruto exclaimed hotly but his tone didn't match his expression. He was looking shocked but sounding angry. Sai simply smiled at him and twitched his upper lip.

"Seriously!" Kiba added furiously. "You're taken, you bastard!"

"I hardly think my relationship status is the issue here. I don't think he knows about our tradition," Sai said plainly, "and, no, I'm technically not taken. Sasuke and I are flexible," Sai said, not even looking at Kiba. "Nobody said I was his boyfriend." With those last words, Sai winked at Naruto and Naruto looked away, blushing ridiculously.

"What have I been telling you?" Gaara snarled.

"Shut it, Gaara," Kiba snapped. He was clearly in no mood for huffing or puffing or Gaara's gloating and Gaara did as he was told. "There's a bigger issue at hand."

"What is your problem, Sai?" Deidara piped in, looking quite anxious. "You _are_ taken and by someone who's practically _my_ little brother, too." Deidara chose to pass up the real issue in place of this one, giving everyone time to assess what to do next. Naruto was blatantly ignorant of what was really going on, though. Sai shrugged innocently.

"He's cute. If anyone was going to… _kiss_ him, I wanted it to be me," Sai said flatly.

"You shouldn't have," Deidara said coolly.

"You were going to do it," Sai argued calmly, turning to look at Deidara, "but, assuming we're still worried about Sasuke, what difference does it make? You're dating Ita and you were still gonna… make out with him."

"Yes," Deidara hissed, "except Itachi and I have talked about it. Like I said, it's tradition and Ita likes a good laugh at the reactions as much as I do but I don't do it just because they're cute. You _are_ cute," Deidara added to Naruto as if trying not to offend him. Then, he rounded back on Sai. "I'm faithful to my boyfriend, Sai. This is all for shits and giggles. I do it for the sake of the tradition."

"Or is it for the bl—" Sai began darkly.

"It's not because he's a cheater, like you," Gaara interrupted loudly.

"No one was asking _you_, Gaara," Sai said almost sweetly. "Plus, I'm _not_ a cheater. Like I said, nobody said I was Sasuke's boyfriend. If he thinks that, then, oh well."

Gaara leered at Sai. "Can I punch him _now_?" Gaara asked through clenched teeth.

"Please, do," Kiba exclaimed loudly and Gaara was jumping from his seat instantly.

"Do not!" Deidara snapped, grabbing Gaara's shoulder and pushing him back into his chair. "Ita wouldn't be happy about it." Once certain that Gaara was composed, Deidara heaved a heavy sigh. "What about Sasuke?" Deidara asked Sai, turning back to regard him. The tension in the air was thick. Naruto could tell that Sai's next answer would decide his fate.

"What of him?" Sai asked plainly. "He is just Sasuke. Who cares?"

"We, his friends, care," Kiba exclaimed angrily.

"Sasuke will never know that I've kissed this guy. He's still mine to toy with so don't worry. I'll be fine," Sai said irritatingly, as if anyone was worried about _him_. Gaara grumbled quiet threats. Deidara's blood was beginning to boil, too.

"We'll tell him, Sai. He's not your toy," Deidara said coldly.

"Oh," Sai began, leaning so close to Deidara's face that Naruto was afraid he might kiss him, too, "but he's really is, Dei. Trust me, he's wrapped around my finger. Your words will be useless against me. He won't leave me. Not to mention, he'd have done it himself." A sickening satisfaction crossed his eyes and everyone at the table, aside from Naruto, stared at him for a long moment, measuring his words.

"You can't tie Sasuke down so easily," Deidara assured but the look in his eyes wasn't so convincing. He only partly believed his words.

"Is that so," Sai asked with amusement. He leaned away from Deidara. "We'll see, won't we? You may think otherwise but he's running with me every night, isn't he?" Kiba looked aghast and both Gaara and Deidara tensed up visibly. This seemed to amuse Sai to no end.

"No way," Gaara denied weakly.

"Oh, yes, but shh," Sai said, setting his finger against his lips and shushing softly, "don't tell Ita." His eyes were positively ravenous. He looked mad and Naruto found himself actually afraid of Sai.

Through this heated conversation, a look of confidence and satisfaction never left Sai's face and it was infuriating. Sai, then, turned to Naruto and trailed his hand all the way up Naruto's arm and toward Naruto's neck but before he could make it there, Naruto threw his hand away. Sai giggled and sauntered away, unperturbed. Gaara, Kiba, and Deidara watched him walk away with deadly glares. Naruto turned to watch him go too and saw Itachi vaulting straight over the bar and, in a flash, Sai was sprawled out on the ground and Itachi was towering over him.

"You don't fuck with my brother," he said gruffly. "Get off my floor and get out of my bar."

Sai stood from the ground slowly, cupping his bleeding nose in his hand as if it wasn't really urgent business. He had, somehow, managed to retain that smug, unfazed attitude through getting punched in the face. Most of the bar remained unconcerned with the activity and buzzed on.

"Actually, I do, Ita," Sai said daringly. "I fuck with him every night." Itachi tensed up at the words and Naruto thought he would punch Sai again but he didn't. Sai went on menacingly as he began to walk away, "Don't get so riled up, Ita." Sai, then, placed an annoyingly fake sympathetic hand on Itachi's shoulder, pausing in passing. "It's a waste of energy. Sasuke likes it better when you stay out of his business. You're good at that, aren't you?"

Deidara stood quickly and rushed at Sai with his fist cocked. He, apparently, was pushed past his limit. Itachi caught his fist, though, and yelled so loudly that everyone in the bar stopped and looked to see what was going on, "GET OUT!"

Sai's smiled only widened and he seemed to grow even more satisfied too. Surprisingly, he opened his mouth as if to taunt Ita yet again but Deidara placed his foot on Sai's ass and pushed hard, seeing as Itachi's still had a hold of his fist.

"Fuck off, Sai," Deidara shouted angrily as Sai was jolted forward, his expression still failing to falter.

Itachi was trembling with anger but was, clearly, fighting the urge to hit Sai again. Sai turned and looked Deidara in the eyes, opening his mouth to tease him too before a loud voice boomed through the bar and caused him to snap it shut.

"Enough!" the voice demanded. Sai froze and his eyes widened momentarily. Finally, he was fazed. "Let's go, Sai!" a man commanded loudly as he forced his way to the front of the crowd. He was tall and had long black hair. He was glaring at the back of the boy's head and Sai reacted immediately, turning to face the man.

"I'm sor—" Sai began to apologize.

"I said, go!" the man roared and Sai promptly walked toward the exit.

"I hope you'll forgive my brother's insolence," the man said gruffly, obviously out of etiquette rather than sincerity.

Itachi nodded, sporting the same forced etiquette. "I suppose I can manage that, Orochimaru. Train him better, won't you?"

Orochimaru's eyes slit into a glare but his lips turned into a smile. It was the same creepy, infuriatingly smug smile of Sai's but it was being used differently. "Of course," he said quietly and turned to follow his brother out of the bar. The bar buzzed on immediately, like it hadn't even missed a beat.

"I hate that bastard," Deidara said scathingly.

Itachi released Deidara's fist. "Who doesn't?" he added.

"I always knew Sai was worthless," Gaara stated angrily. "I mean, look where he comes from."

"Oh, rub it in, then," Kiba exclaimed.

"I wasn't," Gaara defended. "I was just pointing it out." Kiba made to argue but huffed instead.

"Well, fuck him," Deidara said cheerily. Then, he looked at Naruto. "Not literally, of course."

Naruto knew that this was meant as a joke but he couldn't laugh at it like the others did. They were surprisingly quick to recover from the tense exchange. Naruto felt wrong, though. He felt violated, that's for sure, but he also felt guilty. Sasuke didn't seem like the kind of guy to be wrapped around _anyone's_ finger but if Sai was telling the truth, Sasuke would be really hurt by this news. Naruto couldn't help but feel responsible.

"If he loathed me before, he'll downright hate me now," Naruto groaned.

"He will not," Kiba tried to disagree but his face was, clearly, saying the opposite.

"You'll fare fine," Itachi comforted, patting Naruto on the shoulder. Then, he hopped back over the bar and returned to work.

"Sasuke doesn't even like Sai," Gaara tried to assure but his face was shouting the opposite too.

Deidara was the only one who spoke the truth. "Sasuke doesn't like anyone _but_ Sai, actually."

"Dei!" both Gaara and Kiba exclaimed.

"What?" Deidara said innocently. "It's true. He liked Sai a lot, oddly enough. Anyone could see it."

"Can't you see we're trying to _console_ him here?" Kiba reprimanded.

"Ah, whatever," Deidara shrugged. "The truth is the truth. If you want to date him, you should know," he said plainly to Naruto.

"What? I… I don't…" Naruto tried to defend but he sounded rather unconvincing. _Do I_, he asked himself. _I don't even know the guy!_

"You don't like him?" Deidara asked with a raised brow. "It seems as plain as him liking Sai to me."

"All I do know about him is that he's hot, temperamental, and rude," Naruto exclaimed.

"But _Sasuke_ likes _him_," Kiba chimed in with a smile.

"_Liked_," Gaara corrected, "past tense. That was before you made Sasuke loathe him and before Sai made Sasuke detest him."

"Does _nobody_ understand the pretense of consolation?" Kiba exclaimed, rounding on Gaara angrily and huffing loudly.

"I don't want to be consoled," Naruto exclaimed. "I want to be exorcised of the demon from that kiss." With that, Naruto shook his body comically and everyone laughed. "Seriously, though," Naruto continued, "I need a miracle. He already hates me and he doesn't even know me. How will I be your friend now?"

"You wanna be our friend?" Kiba exclaimed excitedly.

"We're touched," Gaara added, chuckling at Kiba's response, "at least, he is." Kiba paid Gaara no mind.

"Seriously," said Naruto, "what the fuck do I do now?"

"Well," Deidara said, resting his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "hope he doesn't find out. That's a fluke, though, cause we're gonna tell him. Then, you can hope he'll forgive you but that's a fluke too. Sasuke doesn't forgive easily. You could always try to woo him. That's your best shot, I bet."

"You want him to pretend to be smitten with Sasuke just to avoid his wrath?" Kiba exclaimed with disgust. "That's terrible!"

"It's not pretending," Deidara argued. "He really thinks Sasuke is hot!"

"That's not liking someone! That's just stupid, Dei," Kiba retorted. "No one is playing with Sasuke's feelings. Got that?" Kiba snapped at Naruto.

"I never said I would!" Naruto defended. "So… then… what _do_ I do?"

All three boys exchanged looks for a long moment, simultaneously looked back at Naruto, and shrugged in unison. Naruto sighed. He had made an enemy of someone he desperately wanted to befriend. If not to know Sasuke, at least, to obtain his painting.

"Great," Naruto grumbled. "Now, I'll never get that painting. I'll never know what it means. I'll never get Sasuke, either." He slumped down in his chair.

"See!" Deidara beamed. "Smitten!"

"That's not what I meant," Naruto added quickly. "I meant that if I ever _did_ want Sasuke, I couldn't have him. I wasn't saying I _do_ want him!"

_Was I,_ Naruto questioned himself uncertainly. Did he have a crush on Sasuke? Pfft, no! Of course not! Sasuke was absolutely unpleasant and enjoyed mixing with guys like Sai. Why would Naruto like him? Not to mention, Naruto didn't even know him. You can't like someone you don't know, right? No! No, definitely not. Naruto didn't like him, right? No… right?

"He likes him," Deidara whispered to Gaara and Kiba and Naruto groaned loudly in response. Deidara looked at him. "Well, you do," he exclaimed. "You'll see it soon enough too. In the meantime, I need a shot!" With that, Deidara was rounding the bar corner and rushing to the middle of the bar to order from Itachi.

"Can you," Naruto began uncertainly, "uh… I just mean… I'm… I'm curious about Sasuke and his… past… y'know… like his family and stuff?" Naruto was afraid they'd start teasing him again but both boys were surprisingly serious. Gaara looked to Kiba and it seemed as if he was asking permission even though Naruto was sure Gaara had interrupted Kiba earlier when this topic was brought. It was a curious switch in roles. Kiba shrugged a tiny shut and Gaara turned back to Naruto.

"Sasuke's family is loaded," Gaara began to explain.

"Yeah, like how I was telling you when we were walking in," Kiba added. Gaara looked surprised that Kiba had piped in but Kiba looked as if that was the only piece of information he would divulge. He was staring off into the crowd with a vacant expression.

"As for Sasuke," Gaara went on carefully, as if scrutinizing his every word, "their dad is real hard on him. He hates that Sasuke is into art. Can't get over the fact that he's paying for art school and not business or law or something. He originally wanted Itachi to take over the family business but Itachi made a huge deal about it, I guess, and their dad was too afraid to ask Sasuke for fear of how Itachi would react to that too. So he just plans to hand the business off to some cousin and Sasuke escaped the family business but his dad is still all over him about his future.

"It drives Sasuke mad. He hates it but he can't say anything because he needs his dad's support," Gaara continued, glancing sideways at Kiba for the shortest of moments. "He just agrees to try out a few classes to appease his dad. He's a real nice guy if you look past his hard exterior. He just wants Sasuke to be happy. He also just thinks that happiness comes with money. He has this idea that Sasuke will be a starving artist, really."

"He won't," Naruto exclaimed quickly. "His work is amazing!"

"Exactly!" Kiba agreed, suddenly willing to talk. "Fugaku doesn't much get art, though. It's all just finger painting to him. If he can't see money, he sees failure and Sasuke has to endure his dad's form of caring and guidance without too much hassle. If he argues too much, he'll be cut off." There was a sad expression in Kiba's eyes. In fact, it was almost longing. Naruto had no time to question it, though, for Gaara picked up immediately.

"Fugaku knows that cutting Sasuke off would raise hell with Ita but you can never have true control over an Uchiha," Gaara explained, "so it's still a possibility that Sasuke will be cut off if he fights Fugaku too much, even if Fugaku _is_ afraid of what Ita will do. He pays the rent here at Tony's but if he stopped, Ita would be fine. He's living large right now. He makes more than enough to support the bar and himself. Fugaku pays anyway, though, as kind of a peace offering."

"What for?" Naruto asked curiously. Gaara and Kiba exchanged glances.

"You'd do better to hear that from an Uchiha, I think," Gaara decided. "Anyway, I've been… _we've_ been friends with Sasuke since preschool, so we've seen this all go down. Ita will do anything for Sasuke but they're in a bit of an… uh… fight or something like that." Naruto thought about questioning this but he figured that was a question better left for an Uchiha too. Gaara continued, "Their mom is real sweet and all but Tsume worries—"

"Gaara," Kiba interrupted with a warning.

"Right. Well, in any case, it's complicated. Sasuke's family is complicated." As Kiba said Sasuke's name, he glances at Kiba again. "You'd really have to get to know him if you're curious," Gaara suggested. "I think you'd be good for him anyway. He and I come from similar pasts and look how good Kiba is for me," Gaara said with a smile, turning adoring eyes to his partner.

"Stop it," Kiba said meekly. He blushed and it was clear to Naruto that Kiba wasn't one to take praise. He was warm and inviting but he was visibly awkward when that warmth was turned on him. He wasn't accustomed to being appreciated and it made him squirm when Gaara did it in front of someone else.

"I mean it, Kiba," Gaara insisted. "Without this guy, I don't know where I would be," Gaara admitted. He looked back to Naruto. "I don't know where Sasuke would be, either. It'd be good for him to have his own Kiba or, rather, Naruto since he's lost"—Gaara cut off mid-sentence when Kiba jabbed him in the side but recovered quickly enough so that Naruto was none the wiser—"his motivation. You know, a strict family can be hard on you."

Naruto smiled, feeling proud of the compliment he had received. He thought over the things he had just learned briefly and decided immediately to take back up his mission to befriend Sasuke, not for the painting but for Sasuke's sake. Gaara was just saying that Sasuke needed someone like Naruto and Naruto was genuinely interested in him. He wanted to know more. He wanted to help Sasuke with whatever his problems were. His smile widened.

"I think I need a shot too," he stated happily, making to go after Deidara. Kiba and Gaara snorted with laughter that put him back down in his seat.

"I think you'll be lucky to get one, then, skipper," Gaara said, chuckling.

"Ita only gives us beer. No hard liquor. He's not trying to get himself shut down," Kiba laughed.

"Of course," Naruto said, laughing along. "Then, I think I'll have another beer!"

Gaara nodded his agreement and Kiba jumped at the chance to be helpful and pour them all another beer. Naruto smiled as Kiba filled their mugs and Gaara eyed Kiba reverently, thinking that he had been damn lucky to make such great friends so easily. He could really learn to love this place as long as he was friends with this lot. As he picked up his beer and clanked his mug loudly against Kiba's and Gaara's glasses, a deep grin settling into his features. This was something he could get used to. This was damn good company and it was damn good beer, too.


	5. Chapter 5: Nightwalkers

**A/N:** There are links to floor plans at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Nightwalkers**

"Hey, Kiba. I see you're still willing to talk to me, even though your dear friend despises me even more," Naruto said half playfully and half grudgingly into the phone as he rummaged around his mess of a bedroom for a clean pair of jeans. He had, truly, wanted to be friends with Sasuke very much, despite Sasuke's lack of appeal. It was all very strange but Naruto felt drawn to Sasuke.

It had been two wonderful weeks since Naruto first met Kiba and they had hung out quite a few times since then. Naruto got along really well with Kiba and Gaara. It was natural. Well, Gaara was a bit of a stretch sometimes, to be honest. Sasuke had, apparently, forgiven Kiba but still wanted little to do with Naruto. He had tolerated Naruto's presence in the room for the first couple of days until he found out that Sai had kissed Naruto. Since then, Sasuke had absolutely refused to be in Naruto's presence at all.

"Yeah, well, the drama queen still despises me, too," Kiba pointed out and laughed. "I'm in no less danger today than I was tomorrow."

"I thought Sasuke forgave you for the painting thing?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, well, he's mad about other things," Kiba informed.

"Other things like what?" Naruto asked, feeling that he was probably butting in but not really caring. He and Kiba had formed a pretty good friendship so far and Naruto felt comfortable enough to be nosy. "Did you send him another fangirl?" Kiba laughed but Naruto could sense a slight nervousness to it.

"Well, I did, actually, but that wasn't what made him mad to begin with. It just made him angrier," Kiba said.

"Well, what's up? To what do I owe this call?" Naruto asked after relinquishing a hearty chuckle.

"I was hoping you would come to our place tonight," Kiba offered hopefully.

"Uh… Sure… It beats the alternative," Naruto consented, though, not fully believing his words. He had been rather excited to execute his plans for the night but figured that he could do it any night, really.

"And what was that?" asked Kiba.

"I was just gonna go down to Tony's and see if I couldn't get a word with Itachi," Naruto answered casually but was thrown off by the deep silence that followed his words. After a long moment, Naruto stopped searching for pants and thought that, perhaps, Kiba had hung up. He was just about to speak when Kiba's voice rang out clear and commanding.

"Naruto, you can't do that. Don't ever go to Tony's alone," Kiba instructed firmly. "Itachi is all right but he's just one guy. Even if it is his bar, you're outnumbered and you'll just get yourself—" Kiba stopped talking suddenly, as if he had thought better of what he was saying. Another deep silence fell between the two.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto finally asked. "I thought everyone at Tony's was pretty cool."

He wasn't at all taken aback by Kiba's abrupt change in attitude. For the past couple of weeks, Kiba would be telling Naruto not to walk down a certain street or to stay away from a certain guy. He had been, suddenly, very keen to warn Naruto about a lot of things, especially about wandering around in the dark alone. Naruto, therefore, wasn't surprised at all that Kiba's ominous warnings extended even to Itachi's bar. Though not shocked, Naruto _was_ curious. Kiba never really gave much of an answer for his constant worrying.

"Just trust me," Kiba said slowly, as if weighing every syllable. "Don't go there alone. It's fine if you want to go but… not without me or Gaara or, preferably, both of us."

"Why?" Naruto asked defiantly. He felt like a teenager being set a ludicrous curfew and was, suddenly, very agitated. He had questioned Kiba's strange warnings and instructions on how to travel the city for the past two weeks but Kiba remained as vague as ever. Kiba paused for a long time before speaking again.

"Are you angry with me?" Kiba asked meekly.

"No," Naruto sighed, regretting his hotheadedness. "You've just been so weird about this kind of stuff and you won't tell me why. This place doesn't have any more rapists and killers than any other city, I've checked," said Naruto. Then, thinking better of this lie, he admitted, "Well, I haven't really checked. Is that what the issue is, though? Are there a lot of rapists and killers out there?"

"You could say that," Kiba agreed pensively. "I'm sorry if I'm treating you like a kid all the time. I just worry about your safety. That's just how I am. I'm sure you understand."

"Eh… yeah… I understand," Naruto sighed. Kiba just had that kind of warm, caring soul. "It's just that my…" Naruto began but decided that, perhaps, this was a conversation better to have in person. "It's a long story that I think we'll get to soon but I haven't got much to lose." Naruto's words were quiet and full of a sadness that he tried to mask.

Kiba could feel the misery in Naruto's voice, though. Kiba wasn't happy that Naruto felt such pain but Kiba _was_ glad that Naruto already felt secure enough to confide such things in him. It wasn't the full story that Naruto had just offered but it was a snippet. It was Naruto letting Kiba know that there were some deep scars in his skin and he would share them with Kiba in due time. It was a promise to honesty and confidence and it made Kiba happy. Naruto would need to stick close Kiba. That, Kiba knew. The words rang through Kiba's head, though; _I haven't got much to lose_. Kiba sighed heavily before speaking, sounding much less reprimanding now.

"There are things worse than death, Naruto," Kiba said quietly. "I'm just trying to protect you from one of those things." Kiba paused and, figuring that Naruto would just ask again, decided to divulge. "Look, the crowd at Tony's clings to this really stupid tradition and I just don't want you to fall prey to it without someone there to watch your back. They're not used to someone coming in and _not_ taking part. I probably should have thought that over before ever inviting you there," Kiba admitted.

He took in a breath that sounded like the beginning of a continuance but Naruto could hear the familiar voice of Gaara interrupting and, it sounded like, scolding him. Kiba huffed and Naruto smiled. That sounded a lot more like Kiba's personality than this constant, worrisome nagging about safety and shit. Naruto ignored Gaara's unwanted interjections, though, and pressed on with the subject of Tony's. Now that Kiba had elaborated on the topic on his own, Naruto was _really_ interested.

"But I thought that I had already fallen prey to Tony's traditions?" Naruto asked curiously as he remembered the kiss Sai had planted on him without his permission. The way that they all talked about it then, the tradition was kissing the newcomers and watching them squirm. Naruto thought it an odd tradition but it _was_ a gay bar. Kiba seemed to struggle in the silence before answering.

"Uh… Well… There are a couple of different traditions there," Kiba said nervously. Naruto faintly heard Gaara hissing in the background and wrinkled his nose up in disappointment. "Just promise you'll come tonight," Kiba said quickly, immediately responding to whatever Gaara had said.

Naruto had come to know Gaara as Kiba's keeper. As Naruto and Kiba's friendship grew, Naruto pressed further on what exactly it was that Kiba was so worried that would happen to Naruto. At first, Kiba was a sealed door. He'd spit out warnings and, then, ignore every single question Naruto would ask. He'd answer only with, 'promise you'll do it' or 'promise you'll stay away'. It was always 'promise this' and 'promise that'. It was never 'this is why' or 'here's an actual answer, Naruto'. As Kiba's tongue got looser, though, Gaara's glares got meaner, it seemed. It was like they were protecting some secret from Naruto and Naruto was damn curious as to what it could be.

Why couldn't Naruto walk down certain streets at night? Why couldn't Naruto go to Tony's alone? Why couldn't Naruto go to campus alone? Kiba and Gaara made every trip to the university with him as they prepared to start the school year. Why couldn't Naruto ever go to Kiba's _or_ Gaara's places? This question brought Naruto back to the present. Kiba had just invited him over! For once, Naruto was allowed at his place!

"Naruto! Promise me," Kiba said impatiently and Naruto remembered that he was on the phone.

There were those words again, 'promise me'. Naruto sneered quietly at the words. It was another invitation into another secret that Kiba wouldn't talk about or else Gaara would shut him up too quickly for Naruto to get any useful information. It was strange how secretive Gaara and Kiba seemed to be and, yet, how much Naruto trusted them. It never felt like they were untrustworthy to Naruto. It felt more like a game.

"Well, yeah. I'll be there," Naruto agreed. He felt still more curious about Tony's as he agreed and a part of him wanted to be reckless and go but the smarter part of him said listen to Kiba. If the whole problem was just that this city _was_ full of more rapists and murderers than any other place, Kiba would know that better than Naruto, wouldn't he? Annoying as Kiba's urge to protect could be, Naruto shouldn't be so stupid as to ignore it completely. "You said _our_ place," Naruto pointed out. "You have a roommate?"

"Gaara," Kiba said brightly. "We live together."

"Oh, I should have guessed," Naruto said, paired with a chuckle and he heard Gaara talking feverishly in the background again in the way that Naruto hated him doing. Why was he always in Naruto's conversations with Kiba? He was so controlling.

"Take a cab," Kiba suggested quickly after Gaara's talking stopped. "You won't want to drive your own car."

"Why?" Naruto asked promptly.

"We live in a sketchy part of town," said Kiba. "I don't want your car to suffer for that. I'll text you the address."

"Okay," Naruto agreed. "How much do you think it'll cost. I'm flat broke and I'm just gonna walk to the ATM down the block and get some cash."

"The ATM on 54th street?" Kiba asked cautiously.

"Uh… yeah… why? Is something wrong with that one?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Don't bother," Kiba said quickly. "We'll send the cab for you. It's on us!"

"You really don't—" Naruto began but Kiba interrupted him cheerily.

"It'll be around at seven. Text me your address," Kiba said. "Gaara says hey! Talk to you later!"

With that, Kiba hung up. Naruto removed the phone from his ear and stared at it for a long moment. Kiba wasn't acting any stranger than usual but Naruto was feeling much more curious now. Why was Kiba always giving him warnings? Why wouldn't Kiba tell Naruto what Kiba was warning him about? Why was Gaara so particular about what Kiba could and couldn't say? Now that Naruto thought about it, Gaara was an unpleasant guy, sometimes. He was a lot like Sasuke. Naruto liked Gaara, of course, but he could sometimes be very dark and uninviting. Then, other times, he would be really cheery and fun. That was the part of Gaara that Naruto liked.

In any case, though, Gaara was always monitoring Kiba like a hawk. He watched every single thing that Kiba did and said. He never took his eyes off of the boy. They went everywhere together. They moved as one unit. Naruto found this odd, too. Gaara was strangely overprotective of Kiba. At Tony's, no one would even dare look at Kiba the wrong way. People would talk to Kiba but it was, more often than not, someone Gaara didn't like and they would never touch Kiba or get too close, either. They'd just talk until they couldn't stand Gaara's glares any longer. Kiba didn't even seem to notice or else he just didn't mind.

When they went other places, though, Gaara would get even stiffer and more uneasy. He'd always be looking around at other people. Sometimes, he'd pull Kiba really close to him and hold him so tightly that Naruto thought Kiba should be wincing with pain. If Naruto thought about it, Gaara was really protective of him too, not in the same insane way he was with Kiba but protective, nonetheless. If anyone got too close to Naruto, Gaara would tense up and watch them closely. Naruto always just pawned it off as Gaara's personality. He just must be a protective guy but now Naruto was wondering if it didn't have something to do with this big, secretive thing they refused to tell him about.

Naruto decided to brush it all off, though. After all, Kiba and Gaara had lived here much longer than Naruto had. They were probably just trying to keep Naruto out of trouble. Why shouldn't Naruto be thankful for that? He had truly made some great friends here. Well, aside from Sasuke. Sasuke was nowhere near Naruto's friend. Naruto noted, then, that he had an hour to get ready and so he sent Kiba his address. He, then, threw his phone carelessly on the bed and resumed his search for clean clothes.

The cab driver had arrived precisely at seven. Naruto had to rush out of his apartment holding his shoes to put them on in the cab. The driver smiled at Naruto but Naruto could tell that he wasn't happy. He started driving off before Naruto even closed the door completely. The driver would get paid more the more time he took but he seemed oddly keen to be rid of Naruto. Naruto shrugged it off, though. He texted Kiba to tell him that he was on his way in the nicely paid cab, making a joke about Kiba not having a cow, for Naruto had followed his directions.

Now, Naruto was bobbing his head mindlessly along to the beat of the song playing on the radio and staring at the buildings pass by out of the window, ignorant of the driver's constant glances in the rear view mirror back at him. They, eventually, drove into a nicer part of the city. All of the buildings were sleek and modern. Naruto, naturally, thought they were only passing through but the driver slowed down to a stop in front of tall, iron gates. If they were going through gates, they probably weren't just passing through, were they?

The driver cracked his window just enough so that the man in the booth could only see the driver's eyes and said, "602 Smarmy."

The man in the booth surveyed the driver carefully and asked for identification. Naruto didn't pay further attention to the exchange, though, so he missed the peculiarity of it all. He was, instead, transfixed on the nice buildings beyond the gate. Eventually, the gate was opening and the cab was driving quickly past the threshold. The cab, finally, came to a stop in front of a tall building several stories high. Naruto stared at it incredulously for a long moment. This did not seem like a sketchy place at all.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Naruto asked uncertainly, still staring out of the window.

"Yeah," the driver said gruffly.

"I don't suppose you can tell me how much it cost, can you?" Naruto asked kindly, smiling at the driver.

The driver grimaced slightly but he stared at Naruto's mouth for a long moment before Naruto's grin faltered and the driver looked back up at him uncertainly. Naruto decided that the driver hadn't heard him properly and opened his mouth to ask again. He wanted to repay Kiba and Gaara for sending him the cab. As he made to speak, he leaned closer to the driver and the driver cringed in response, his eyes wide with fear.

Naruto stopped his attempt at communication immediately and stared at the man warily. Why the man was so afraid of him, Naruto did not know and, oddly enough, he wasn't curious to find out. He found the man's behavior really strange himself and was actually very eager to get away from him, figuring he was just a crack addict or something. He smiled weakly at the driver and exited the cab quickly. As soon as the door closed, the cab was speeding off and Naruto watched it disappear as a shiver ran down his spine. It seemed colder here than it had been at Naruto's place and Naruto hadn't brought a jacket. Naruto turned on his heels at looked up at the many stories of the building before him. It was a man dressed in a red door man's uniform standing at the door who beckoned him.

"Come now," the young man said sweetly, "you don't want to be stuck out here all alone after dark."

Naruto turned his attention to the door man and nodded, though, what for, he wasn't sure. Why _didn't_ he want to be out here alone? Why had the doorman said that? Was he suggesting that this pristine area was sketchy, too? If that was case, everyone here must be mental because it looked absolutely flawless to Naruto. Naruto tried to keep the skepticism off of his face as he judged the man's sanity. Half way through the entrance, Naruto thought he had heard the man actually sniff him. Naruto hurried in quickly and turned to face the man uncertainly.

"You'll be Naruto, I guess?" the man said softly in a voice that did not sound like someone creepy enough to sniff a stranger. Naruto relaxed, nodding his head in affirmation. "It'll be floor twenty, then," the man informed. "They're expecting you," he added, snarling a bit on the word 'they're' which Naruto passed over ignorantly. He smiled appreciatively at the man and moved to an elevator behind him. "Oh, no," the man exclaimed softly, "you'll be taking private elevator one, strictly for the upper suites. It's off to suite four that you go." Naruto cocked his head curiously at the words.

"Suites?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes," the man confirmed as he gestured to an area at the back of the lobby behind the desk that sat in the middle. "Elevator one takes you to suites one through four," the man informed as he walked to the hidden area behind the desk. Naruto followed reluctantly and the man pointed to the right down a long corridor. "Elevator two," the man began as he pointed to the left down the corridor, "takes you to suites five through eight. Those you should hardly be bothered with, though. You are searching for Master Sundama," the man said softly, his voice taking on a less sugary quality with his last couple of words.

"Master Sundama?" Naruto questioned emphatically and couldn't fight the urge to snort with laughter. "Who is that?"

"I believe you'll know him as, Gaara, dear," the man said even less sweetly but turned up the charm once again on the word 'dear'.

Naruto stared at him for a short moment calculatingly. The man had just called him 'dear' and Naruto didn't like it. He simply nodded again and hurried over to elevator one, keeping an eye on the man who followed him down the corridor. The moment Naruto pushed the up button, the elevator doors flung open and Naruto was very glad that they had, too. He was eager to be away from this guy.

"Until we meet again," the doorman crooned sweetly and his eyes seemed to glow as he spoke.

The doors slid shut just as a creepy smile slunk across his lips. Once they had closed, Naruto let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He absent-mindedly clicked the button for suite four and thought about the fact that Gaara was actually 'Master Sundama'. Just why was Gaara '_Master_ Sundama'? Neither he nor Kiba had mentioned anything about that type of thing. Either Gaara was some sort of royalty or he was filthy rich. Well, he _did _live in a suite at the top of a giant building in a gated area. He was definitely packing some cash. Naruto's thoughts were deterred, though, as the elevator doors slipped open and he took in the view of the suite in awe.

He moved slowly into the expansive room. To his left was the living room area, in the middle of which sat the biggest tv Naruto had ever seen against an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that were, oddly enough, tinted so black that you could barely make out the lights beyond as fuzzy blurs. To his immediate left, he saw what looked like a huge cabinet sitting behind a bar. To his immediate right was the kitchen area with an island big enough to fit ten people, at least. On his right beyond the kitchen was what he assumed to be a bathroom. There was also, of course, an upper level protruding about halfway across the space toward Naruto, supported by three columns along the room. Naruto looked up to see the back of a redhead rummaging through books in a built-in bookcase on the upper level. Naruto thought to call out to Gaara and announce his arrival but before he could open his mouth he saw Kiba's familiar face beaming and rushing out of the door on the right half of the upper level.

"Naruto," Kiba exclaimed happily as he bustled down the hall to descend a spiral staircase on the right. "You're here! You're fine! No injuries, right?" Kiba added uncertainly as he reached the lower level and gestured for Naruto to come in.

"Uh… no," Naruto said followed by a chuckle, "I'm alright."

"What do you want to drink?" Gaara asked stiffly as he walked along the upper level to the staircase on the left side. "We've got anything you can think of." Naruto stared at him for a moment, wondering what to thank for Gaara's nasty mood. Naruto turned his attention to the bar he had taken notice of when he first came in.

Automatically, he said, "Oh, no, it's fine." Gaara reached the bottom of the staircase and glared at Naruto as if he was bored.

"Drop the pleasantries. What do you want?" he asked again, looking very unhappy. Kiba glared disapprovingly at Gaara but Gaara did not seem to care.

"I really don't know," Naruto said, conflicted as he followed Kiba to sit down at the bar. When Naruto and Kiba found their destined seats, Naruto gaped at the vast amount of alcohol stored in the cabinets behind the bar. Gaara smiled for the first time with pride for his alcoholic collection and Naruto said decidedly, "I'll just have what you have." Gaara's smile widened.

"Scotch," he said appreciatively. Then, he seemed to catch wind of Kiba's deepening disapproval and questioned it straight on. "Are you glowering at me because I'm drinking or because I'm not drinking one of those girly, fruity drinks you prefer?"

Kiba huffed loudly. "If it's good, it's good! Who cares if it puts hairs on your chest or not? I like my chest hairless, for your information."

Gaara chuckled lightly and replied, "Yes, I am aware. I, however, like my chest hairy."

"In the proverbial sense," Kiba corrected quickly. "I'll wax you in your sleep if you don't do it yourself," Kiba threatened.

"I know you will," Gaara agreed lightly.

Naruto smiled. It was nice to be in the presence of their endearing bickering again and to see the dark cloud over Gaara's head wavering. Just as quickly as Gaara's eyes lit up, though, they darkened again. The little bickering they'd just shared seemed to remind Gaara of something and he looked as if he was trying not to jump across the bar and punch Kiba. Gaara retrieved a bottle of scotch from the giant cabinet and pulled two glasses from underneath the bar. Kiba promptly snatched one glass up and threw it across the room into the kitchen. It shattered against the edge of the kitchen island loudly and Naruto jumped. He whirled around to look at Kiba but, to his surprise, there was no trace of anger there. He was smirking smugly. Gaara moved to get another glass but Kiba interrupted him with a warning.

"I'll just throw that one, too," Kiba said and Gaara paused, half reaching beneath the bar.

"Are you gonna break them all?" Gaara questioned dully, as if this happened often.

"We can buy more, can't we?" Kiba said, raising a brow that was daring Gaara to pull out another glass. Gaara straightened up and rolled his eyes but it was void of resentment and full of amusement. "It seems I will not be having a drink with you, Naruto," Gaara said, turning to regard the confused blond.

"No, sir, you won't, Master Sundama," Kiba jested and Naruto couldn't help but laugh, partly out of nerves and partly out of honest amusement. To Naruto's surprise, Gaara laughed as well. His laugh was loud, warm, and honest. His good mood came back. Naruto couldn't help but find this whole situation odd. Kiba was throwing glasses and, yet, everyone was laughing it off merrily.

"I'd rather not drink alone," Naruto said finally.

"Fuck this glass too, then," Kiba said with a smile and he chucked the remaining glass into the kitchen, too. It broke against the fridge. Naruto stared after it with renewed concern but smiled when he saw two happy faces regarding him.

"Wanna do one?" Kiba asked excitedly, as if throwing glasses around their suite was all just fun and games. Naruto shrugged indifferently, although, he really wanted to. Kiba held out an expectant hand and Gaara supplied him with a fresh glass. Kiba pushed it toward Naruto and nodded his approval.

"Chuck it," Kiba urged. Naruto hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether he should do it or not. Kiba, then, said something shocking to the blond. "Pretend it's everything you've lost, Naruto." Naruto turned bewildered eyes to Kiba whose smile had weakened and was bordering a serious look. "It's all that anger that you feel at being alone," Kiba continued.

Naruto stared in astonishment for another long moment. He wasn't sure if he should be angry at Kiba for bringing up a touchy subject or if he should be confused as to what Kiba was getting at. Naruto hadn't quite told Kiba yet about his parents or his old life but Kiba was poking around the subject as if he already knew everything there was to know. Naruto, then, stared at the glass in his hand. He really wanted to talk to Kiba. He wanted to tell him. He wanted a friend who would understand him. He was rather angry at how alone he truly did feel. Why hadn't Naruto wanted to make friends? It was because he had gotten used to being left behind. He grew up a happy child. His dad always took care of him and then Jiraiya, after that. Yet, he felt so alone and Kiba seemed to know that already.

The glass flew the length of the apartment and broke against the wall above the stove. Naruto stared at the spot where the glass had vanished and likened it to his own life. Everything that he had ever loved had vanished. First, his mother died. Then, his father died. Next, he lost his home. Lastly, he lost his godfather. What did he have left? Kiba placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and Naruto turned to see Kiba's understanding eyes scrunched up with a smile. Naruto glanced at Gaara who was grinning at Naruto, too, so Naruto smiled back and he realized that this was what he had. He had these two, at least. He had two very new, important people to him, people that he loved spending time with. This was what he was left with and he felt immeasurably better at the thought.

"Let's all have a scotch!" Kiba said cheerily.

Gaara looked hesitant but pulled out three glasses, regardless. The entire time he poured them out, he kept a skeptical brow raised at Kiba, as if expecting him to throw the filled glasses across the room, too. Now, Kiba was wanting a drink and Gaara was silently protesting. Naruto found this abrupt change in roles intriguing but ignored his curiosity, accepting that this couple was just an odd couple and nothing that they did made sense. Nonetheless, they were some of the best people a person could meet.

Naruto raised his glass with a bright smile and sipped at his scotch, only slightly appreciating the burn it provided. Naruto, apparently, wasn't a scotch man. Gaara sipped at his scotch to but it was with reverence. Kiba, however, downed his glass in a matter of moments. He took notice of the lingering grimace on Naruto's face and laughed at the blond.

"Don't like it?" Kiba asked. Naruto shrugged his shoulders but he could tell that his face was screaming 'not at all'. "I've got it," Kiba said as he seized Naruto's glass and downed it just as quickly as he had downed his own.

Gaara stared for a long moment at Kiba and Naruto thought that they were sharing the same astonishment until Gaara burst out in laughter. While Gaara was busy laughing, Kiba nicked his drink too and downed it in a gulp. When Gaara realized what Kiba had done, he laughed even harder. Naruto was enjoying the return of Gaara's good attitude.

"A damn alcoholic, you are!" Gaara said through rumbling chuckles.

"Eh… it takes the edge off," Kiba said, shrugging. "You know, being a fee—" Gaara's laughter ceased abruptly and he had made a hissing noise to silence Kiba mid-sentence.

"Three glasses of scotch make you careless," Gaara snapped, glaring threateningly at Kiba.

Naruto expected Kiba to retort quickly or else huff but he did neither. He, first, looked absolutely regretful of what he was beginning to say. Then, he grew meek and apologetic as he shifted uncomfortably beneath Gaara's glare. Naruto wasn't surprised at Kiba's sudden submissiveness after catching a glimpse of Gaara's glower, either. There was a definite hardness in Gaara's eyes and, yet, something Naruto would liken to guilt or regret sitting just behind. This was, clearly, not their typical bickering. They had stumbled upon some very serious subject and Naruto felt as if he was intruding on a private moment.

He began to wonder, however, about Gaara. A thought had just occurred to him. Kiba looked like a wounded animal cowering before Gaara. Gaara's attitude was always changing at the drop of a dime. He was always watching Kiba's every movement. He was vigilant of what Kiba was saying. He was always clutching to Kiba as if he was going to disappear into thin air. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if Gaara maybe… maybe Gaara was abusive. Just as Naruto was wondering these terrible thoughts, the elevator dinged and he was glad for something else to look at. As annoying as Gaara's ever shifting attitude could be and as unnerving as his glare on Kiba was right now, Naruto didn't want to think Gaara capable of something like that. He was a good guy. Naruto knew he was. Naruto didn't want to think otherwise.

Naruto turned expectantly toward the elevator doors for his savior and out strode a tall, slender Sasuke, not a savior at all. He glided across the room without regarding anyone at all. He tossed his belongings over the back of the couch. He turned and walked toward the trio at the bar, without really seeing anyone there, and moved behind Gaara, looking for something to drink. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something else, something not in this room. When Naruto looked to Kiba and Gaara, both of their faces were filled with apprehension and Naruto got the idea that Sasuke didn't quite know that Naruto was there nor were they expecting Sasuke to show up. Dread slowly welled up inside of Naruto.

"Sai invited me out," Sasuke sighed, still facing the cabinets and searching.

Naruto could see anger overtake Gaara's features at the words. He loathed Sai. He probably hated Sai even more than before now that Sasuke was _still_ with him, even after he had kissed Naruto. Kiba looked as if he wanted to interrupt Sasuke but he couldn't muster up the courage, it seemed. Gaara's fear had subsided, though, and he had, seemingly, forgotten all about Naruto to focus on Sasuke's words.

"He's still going out and hunting," Sasuke continued.

"That bastard," Gaara snarled.

"I know," Sasuke agreed, still searching the liquor.

"You were going out with him just a couple of weeks ago, weren't you?" Gaara snapped and Naruto was shocked at the ferocity with which he spoke. Sasuke froze for a moment before resuming his search.

"I stopped, Gaara. It was momentary. I've been your friend for years," Sasuke continued calmly.

"He's not seeing Sai at all anymore and Sai persuaded him away from us, Gaara," Kiba said quietly, glancing at Naruto with great concern that told Naruto he shouldn't be hearing this and probably wouldn't be if Sasuke had noticed him. "You understand how that can happen," Kiba added warily. When Gaara turned to Kiba, clearly, enraged by what he'd just said, Kiba went on quickly, "I just meant that—"

"I know what you meant," Gaara snapped at Kiba who flinched at the response, tears welling up in his eyes, "and one hunt is all it takes," Gaara added angrily, now speaking to Sasuke's back. "It changes you. You'll never be the same. Why do you think our parents raised us on supplements? Once you start f—"

"Gaara," Kiba interjected quickly, being the only one who cared about Naruto's presence and attempting to stop the conversation. He glanced nervously at Naruto. Gaara continued with something much less incriminating, something Naruto couldn't discern so easily. "I've tried to stop you, Sasuke," Gaara said quietly. "Our parents wouldn't have wanted that life for us."

"You shouldn't be scolding me about my life, Gaara. What would father say about _yours_?" Sasuke taunted. "You shrug off blame by calling this relationship civilized. It's all the same. We're all leeches, in the end."

Naruto stared precariously at Kiba whose face was riddled with anxiety. What in the world could they be talking about? Naruto decided at once that Gaara was, indeed, abusive. That must have been what Sasuke meant. Gaara was feeding off of Kiba's fear or something. Maybe Gaara and Sasuke were part of some secret sadist club that hunted down their prey at night and Sai was in on it, too. That must be it. Maybe _they_ were the rapists and murderers that Kiba was always covertly warning Naruto to avoid. The scenario seemed absurd but it was the only thing he could come up with to make any sense of the conversation unfolding before him. The long, tense silence that allowed Naruto to make up this crazy theory while Kiba looked afraid to talk, Sasuke continued to rummage, and Gaara looked stunned and enraged was, finally, broken by Gaara's loud voice.

"It's not the same as hunting!" Gaara shouted. "I…" Gaara looked over at Kiba and his eyes were full of guilt. Naruto sensed that this was the topic that Kiba had been bordering on talking about earlier when Gaara glared him threateningly into silence. "I've never…" Gaara began but found that he couldn't find the words.

"You've never what?" Sasuke said, as if daring Gaara to deny Sasuke's accusations.

"Think about how devastated _your_ father would be to hear you've been…" Gaara paused before going on more confidently, "What would they say if they knew you were leeching?"

"You tell me. You _would_ know firsthand, wouldn't you?" Sasuke said calmly. His tone of voice was casual but it was, clearly, meant to be insulting.

"Yes," Gaara hissed, "I _would_ know. That's why I'm bothered to warn—"

"Warn yourself," Sasuke interrupted. "Don't act like you've got some experience I don't, Gaara. You're barely older than me and none the wiser, either. I think I understand perfectly well. I've been on far more hunts than you."

"You proud of that?" Gaara snarled.

"Please!" Sasuke scoffed. "You've got your own personal hunt going every single day." Sasuke was growing more agitated and bumping bottles in the cabinets more roughly but he rummaged on with his back turned, nonetheless.

"It was one very bad call that I couldn't—" Gaara began hotly.

"You said it yourself, one hunt is all it takes," Sasuke interjected coolly.

"Yes, well, I don't deny _that _but _Kiba_ has… Kiba is… Kiba consents," Gaara said weakly, as if he didn't truly believe his words to be a valid enough excuse.

"Prey is prey, Gaara," Sasuke said plainly. "Just because I ran around with Sai to get it doesn't mean having a feeder isn't just as bad."

"We've never stood for that," Gaara argued crossly without hesitation. "We've never stood for hunts! I… Maybe Kiba _was_ a mistake, okay?" Gaara exclaimed and Kiba looked absolutely offended by the words. Gaara, however, plowed on, ignorant of Kiba's pained expression. "Maybe I never should have done it, any of it but I did and now I can't stop. That's why I tried to stop you from ever running with Sai's crowd. He's a fiend. They don't want to stop!" Sasuke did not seem affected by Gaara's emotion.

"All I'm saying is not to chastise me for something you do yourself. You say it's more civilized than what Sai does but it's all the same. The only difference is that Kiba says yes," Sasuke said flatly, still searching for some specific bottle. "Both of our parents would rather have our heads than accept our lifestyles. Nonetheless, you're just as corrupted as I am."

"Except the pursuit doesn't thrill _me_," Gaara retorted quietly. "I have quelled the monster within me. _I_ have no desire to—" Sasuke seemed to be able to predict the next words and he interrupted Gaara promptly.

"Where's the fucking scotch," he said loudly, pushing a bottle of liquor so forcefully that it toppled out of the cabinet.

Naruto stood from his chair quickly and reached over the bar in an automatic movement to catch the bottle, even though he knew he wouldn't actually be able to save it. To Naruto's great surprise, though, Sasuke kicked his foot up behind him and nudged the bottle perfectly back up, over his shoulder, and into his waiting hand. Naruto gaped at Sasuke. How could anyone have such good reflexes? He didn't even look at the bottle but caught it and replaced it effortlessly. Both Kiba and Gaara seemed to notice Naruto's existence again and they were staring at him nervously. They seemed to remember that he wasn't supposed to be hearing these things and neither of them knew just what to do. Kiba looked desperately to Gaara for direction and Gaara looked down at the scotch. Before he could think of anything smarter to say, Gaara said the first thing that came to his mind.

"The scotch is here," Gaara said slowly, answering Sasuke's question.

Sasuke began to turn around and Naruto swore everything dropped down to slow motion. This was it. This was the moment that Sasuke would see Naruto's face and then he couldn't be sure what would happen next. Naruto swallowed thickly as Sasuke reached his hand toward the bottle on the bar, stopping abruptly to stare at Naruto. Naruto stared right back and all the questions running through his mind were momentarily lost. He was entranced by the dark eyes boring into him, eyes that he couldn't read at all. He couldn't tell if Sasuke was furious or confused or shocked or scared. For all Naruto knew, Sasuke could be elated. After a short while of Sasuke staring at Naruto, Gaara staring at Sasuke, and Kiba staring at Gaara, Sasuke broke the silence.

"I'm going," Sasuke said softly, apparently, using all of his might to speak. Sasuke, then, turned and began to walk back to his things. Naruto was suddenly full of life again.

"W-Wait," Naruto said, getting to his feet and staring after Sasuke who was now putting on his coat. Sasuke did not respond so Naruto continued. "I… I… what's a feeder?" Naruto blurted out, for that was the first question that came to mind. Sasuke's muscles visibly tensed and his upper lip twitched.

"Nothing," he said very quietly and moved toward the elevator doors. In a dramatic fit, Naruto ran ahead and flung himself in front of the doors. Sasuke snorted at him. "Move," Sasuke commanded.

"No," Naruto refuted quickly. "What's so special about Tony's?" Naruto pressed on, his earlier questions posed to Kiba coming into the fray. "What are you guys in some sadist gang or something?" Sasuke's lip twitched again.

"Sure," he said dully, "whatever you say. Move."

"No," Naruto said defiantly.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, his patience, clearly, waning. He pushed the button to summon the elevator.

"Uh… I… want to talk to you," Naruto said loudly and confidently.

"Move!" Sasuke yelled and Naruto's pulse came to him quicker at the unexpected outrage. This only seemed to anger Sasuke even further.

"N-No," Naruto replied.

The doors to the elevator slid open and Sasuke palmed Naruto hard in the chest. Naruto crumpled onto the floor painfully. Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the front of his shirt and dragged him out of the elevator. He spared a dark glance to Kiba and Gaara who watched in astonishment and dropped Naruto a few feet from the elevator doors. He walked back into the elevator and slammed his fist against the lobby button, disappearing out of sight.

* * *

**A/N:** Here are the links for Gaara and Kiba's suite apartment. It was hard for me to make this practical and I was trying to figure out how the windows would work. This is what I decided. I'm not an architect. This shit works for me as is lol I also posted a layout for the lobby. Why I added all the extra shit, I don't know but it's there. Next chapter I'll be posting other things to explain how the private elevators work and how the other suites are connected to each other. Don't forget to replace those **DOT**s with real periods. Carry on.

**Bottom Floor:** i169 ** DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/GaaraKibaMMaptbottomfloor **DOT** png

**Top Floor:** i169 **DOT **photobucket ** DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/GaaraKibaMMaptupperfloor **DOT **png

**Lobby:** i169 ** DOT **photobucket ** DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/Groundfloorplans **DOT **png


	6. Chapter 6: Leeches

**A/N:** A giant thanks to my awesome beta **Sephoriya** who is helping me with this fic! An extra giant thanks for not judging my obsessive, compulsiveness or comma induced anxiety attacks xD You're the shit Seph! Show my beta some love!

**Warning:  
—**Trace amounts of blood but don't worry, I'm no fan of gore. If you hate hearing about it at all, though, then run away because it's here.  
—Physical abuse... if you can call it that. You'll see what I'm talking about.

* * *

**Chapter Six: Leeches**

Kiba rushed over to Naruto who lay doubled over, clutching at his chest, in the middle of the floor. Gaara stood watching the pair from behind the bar, his eyes vacant as he thought over the encounter with Sasuke.

"Fuck! Are you okay?" Kiba asked worriedly, trying to turn Naruto to lie on his back.

"F-Fine," Naruto said breathlessly, opposing the shift in position. "J-Just knocked the w-wind outta me." He smiled at Kiba to try and reassure his worried friend, even as he lay doubled up on the ground and refusing to move in compliance with Kiba's attempts to right him.

Before Kiba could speak anymore, however, Gaara was upon him. Gaara appeared behind the brunette and grasped his arm roughly above the elbow. Naruto would have grimaced and probably shouted in Kiba's defense if he had the time. Before either Naruto or Kiba could even think of protesting, Gaara was dragging Kiba across the kitchen. Naruto rolled over quickly onto his stomach to keep the pair in sight. Kiba was struggling to find his feet, but Gaara was dragging him too quickly. To Naruto, Kiba was struggling. Kiba was, of course, struggling to simply walk properly, not out of fear or an attempt to get away as Naruto had concluded so quickly. They disappeared behind a door and it slammed shut with a loud bang. Naruto laid there on the floor for a short moment before struggling to his feet and hurrying over the door. He steeled himself to burst inside and rescue Kiba but Kiba's voice stopped him.

"Just calm down, Gaara," Kiba said soothingly. He was not at all frantic or afraid. Naruto recognized, then, that Kiba would have followed Gaara calmly and willingly into the room had he been given a chance to find his footing, so he _wasn't_ trying to get away. Naruto felt slightly reassured. Although, he was still on the fence about Gaara. Gaara had proven himself to be much rougher with Kiba than Naruto ever suspected tonight.

"I can_not_ believe that he spoke to me like that!" Gaara hissed. "That bastard! After everything I've done for him! He's so fucking full of himself! He bared his fangs at me, too! Did you see that? _The fucking nerve_!"

"Calm down," Kiba repeated softly, "it was the situation, not you. You know he'd never bare his fangs at you. If he was flashing them at anyone, it was Naruto. He's just still upset about him and Sai."

"Upset?" Gaara snarled, clearly finding the words to be absurd.

"You know how he is," Kiba said in Sasuke's defense. "He's always been this way. What surprises you so much now?" For a short moment both were silent before Kiba went on. "He can't express his feelings like you can, Gaara. You know that and remember that the only reason you're _not_ just like Sasuke is because of me."

"As if he's never _had_ you," Gaara cut in roughly. Naruto wondered briefly if Kiba and Sasuke had once been a couple. It would explain the stifling tension between Sasuke and Gaara. Naruto didn't have the time to think about it though.

"He doesn't want to admit it, but Sai really hurt him." Kiba went on with his thoughts as if Gaara hadn't spoken and Naruto's mind went blank to listen, "He's still reeling from it. He wouldn't have said all that stuff if he wasn't. You know he's not like Sai. You and I _both_ know he's not."

"I don't know him at all anymore," Gaara disagreed angrily. "If you're so sure Sasuke's _not_ like him, then why did I see a sick double of Sai just now?"

"That wasn't Sasuke," Kiba argued.

"Well, if you're so damn sure that it _wasn't_ Sasuke, then just who _was_ it?" Gaara pressed menacingly. "Where _is_ Sasuke? Because that looked a lot like him to me!"

"You know what I mean! It's not _our_ Sasuke," Kiba refuted with a tone of annoyance, not appreciating Gaara's smartass way of taking his words so literally.

"You know what?" Gaara said quickly. "That _was_ Sasuke and you know what else? That was a leech"—Kiba let out a small gasp—"because _our _Sasuke _is_ _a fucking leech_!"

"Don't say that!" Kiba exclaimed crossly. "Don't you dare call our friend that!"

"He's not our—" Gaara began.

"Yes he is!" Kiba snapped. "He _is_ our friend and you will get your fucking senses straight, Gaara, or so help me god I will—"

"What?" Gaara interrupted with a growl. "What will you do if I don't? You can't hurt me!"

"There are many ways to hurt someone, Gaara," Kiba said in a low, threatening voice. Gaara snorted dismissively and Kiba went on in an even more threatening tone, "I'll stop letting you feed on me." Gaara made a deep guttural noise and then Naruto heard Kiba gasp loudly just before a loud bang told him that Kiba was pinned against the wall. "Gaara!" Kiba gasped in pain.

"You can't stop me, can you?" Gaara taunted darkly.

At that moment, Naruto panicked. Kiba was in there in apparent danger and Naruto was just listening to it happen. Naruto removed his ear from the door and shook his hands wildly in panic, trying to think of what to do. No coherent thoughts were coming to him, so he just barged into the room, terrified of what he would find. He could never have imagined that it would be what he _did_ find though. Kiba's eyes flickered over to Naruto but he couldn't move his head. Gaara had his hand clamped on Kiba's jaw line, pushing his head back against the tall cabinetry and up to reveal his throat. Gaara's other hand was restraining one of Kiba's wrists. Kiba's free hand was pushing hard against Gaara's chest. Kiba was lifted up onto his tiptoes, struggling to breathe properly.

It was the scene anyone would expect to see when you hear someone being banged up against a wall and threatened though, so that wasn't the _real_ shocking blow. The really unnerving part of it all was what Naruto saw on Gaara or, rather, _in_ Gaara or, even more specifically, _in Gaara's mouth._ Gaara's head snapped over to Naruto, who was frozen in the doorway and transfixed on what he swore were unnaturally pointy teeth.

"Gaara," Kiba whispered quietly in a panic. Gaara released Kiba very slowly. He began turning to Naruto and Kiba grabbed fistfuls of Gaara's shirt, trying to wrench the redhead back to face him. "Gaara!" Kiba warned louder and more urgently.

Gaara stared at Naruto for a moment but made no move to advance. He closed his eyes and with a twitch of his lip, those pointy teeth were gone. Naruto stared in amazement for a long moment. Had he really just seen those teeth lift up _into_ Gaara's mouth? Had he really seen them at all? Kiba released a breath of relief and placed his hand on the back of Gaara's neck, extending his thumb to rest on the well-worn spot on Gaara's neck where he rubbed calming circles against the patch of skin there as Naruto so often saw him doing. This seemed to be Gaara's weakness because it always calmed him down. Gaara began taking deep breaths and leaning into Kiba's touch.

Naruto swallowed nervously and Gaara's eyes snapped back open. The next thing Naruto knew, those pointy teeth were back, causing Naruto to swallow yet again and stagger back past the doorway. Gaara's muscles twitched violently as he advanced on Naruto. Kiba just barely managed to grab Gaara's clothes from the back. He leaned so far backwards that he was nearly sitting on the ground to restrain Gaara. Naruto could hear Gaara's shirt ripping under the stress as he swatted his arms out to reach Naruto.

"STOP! STOP! GAARA, STOP!" Kiba yelled but Gaara seemed deaf to the boy's plights. Naruto was unable to register that, perhaps, those pointy teeth were real and posing a rather dangerous threat to his life right now. He could only stare. Finally, Kiba exclaimed desperately, "You can have it! You can have it! You can have mine!"

It was as if Gaara could hear the words before they even left Kiba's lips, for he instantly turned and pinned Kiba roughly back against the cabinetry. In a swift movement, he ripped the shirt where it covered the abused muscle where neck met shoulder. He, then, sunk those unbelievably pointy teeth deep into the skin and Kiba shrieked loudly in pain, his free hand clawing at the back of Gaara's shirt.

"Gently!" Kiba commanded gruffly. "Be gentle, for fuck's sake!"

Gaara only gripped Kiba's left shoulder—which was closest to Naruto—even firmer and pushed Kiba's pinned right wrist against the cabinets even harder, so that Kiba's hand was turning purple from the lack of circulation. Gaara groaned loudly and Kiba flinched as the redhead bit down harder, regardless of Kiba's pleas. Kiba chose to watch Naruto carefully though, rather than shut his eyes in pain.

Naruto's mouth had gone dry. He couldn't quite see what was happening from his angle, so he edged back into the bathroom and to his right slowly. Kiba turned his head to follow Naruto with his eyes. Naruto finally felt his arm hit the cabinetry and his eyes widened at what this new angle revealed to him. He was definitely seeing Gaara's lips clamped around Kiba's skin. Naruto crooked his head slightly to the side to get a better angle but jumped back quickly when Gaara's ravenous eyes snapped up to regard him. His back slammed against the wall behind him and he swallowed a few more terrified lumps in his throat. He, then, remembered that swallowing had been what set Gaara on him in the first place, so he held his breath. Gaara didn't advance on Naruto as he had been expecting though. He pressed himself more firmly against Kiba, as if to shield him from Naruto's greedy hands instead.

"It's okay," Kiba reassured quietly. "He's not gonna detach for you."

Naruto looked uncertainly to Kiba and then released his breath. Naruto chose to trust Kiba's words and peer onward into Gaara's eyes. What used to be a bluish/green hue had now taken on a deep, dark red shade. Gaara's eyes were terrifying. He was bestial. He was not at all himself. He was looking Naruto up and down, studying his every movement, as if he expected _Naruto_ to lunge at _him_. Naruto felt somewhat reassured by the fact that Gaara was now on the defensive and not looking to attack him. Then, Naruto began to panic. He looked up at Kiba with frantic eyes, begging Kiba to tell him what to do but Kiba returned Naruto with a calm, unfazed gaze.

"It's alright. Don't be afraid," Kiba said, trying to be reassuring. Naruto gaped at him. Did Kiba really just tell him not to be afraid? Did Kiba know what Gaara was doing? If he did, then he should share because Naruto was absolutely baffled. Kiba, then, winced and brought his hand up to rub familiar, firm circles into the special spot on Gaara's neck.

"Off!" he exclaimed with a gasp. After a short moment and another strong grimace, Kiba demanded more desperately, "Off! Off! Off!" He rubbed the circles more roughly into Gaara's skin. Gaara's eyes seemed to being clearing slowly. "Off, Gaara!" Kiba repeated more frantically and he dug his thumb forcefully into the hinge of Gaara's jaw. "Please!"

Gaara's eyes clenched shut as he pushed Kiba's shoulder and wrist hard into the wall so that Kiba's hand went completely white. A loud crack then came from one of Kiba's bones and he howled in pain, but he kept digging his thumb against Gaara's jaw, nonetheless. Gaara detached himself with a great hiss, splattering blood against the cabinetry and taking a huge gasp of air. He staggered back quickly until his back was flat against the opposite wall beside the toilet. His eyes were bluish/green again and full of terror as they welled up with tears. Kiba slumped over heavily and clutched at his neck. He was shaking his newly freed hand vigorously, trying to get the blood pumping again but grimacing at the pain that it caused. Naruto could guess from Kiba's expression that it was his wrist that had cracked.

Kiba then fell to his knees and Naruto automatically looked expectantly to Gaara. He had gotten so used to Gaara's protective nature that he thought Gaara should be there instantly to support Kiba. Naruto had, of course, momentarily forgotten that Gaara had just been… been… well… he didn't know or, perhaps, he didn't _want_ to know. Either way, Naruto realized that he didn't want Gaara anywhere near Kiba again. To Naruto's surprise though, Gaara flinched badly when Kiba fell to his knees. He flattened himself even further against the wall, as if wishing he could be one with it. Despite his seemingly helpless nature, Naruto watched Gaara attentively as he rushed to Kiba's side and knelt to throw a protective arm in front of the brunette.

"Don't," Kiba said feebly.

"Yeah, don't!" Naruto repeated loudly to Gaara. "Don't touch him!" Gaara didn't even look at Naruto. His eyes were glued to Kiba.

"No," Kiba said weakly as he knocked Naruto's arm down with his injured hand, "_you_." Naruto turned to look at Kiba with astonishment but Kiba met his eyes with ferocity. "Don't treat him like that." Naruto stared at Kiba aghast for a moment before Gaara spoke.

"Get out," he croaked. When Naruto looked back at him, he was crouched into a ball between the toilet and the tub peering through his fingers at Kiba. "Please, get out!" he begged. Kiba nodded without looking at Gaara, apparently knowing what he'd see and that it'd be torture to watch. Instead, Kiba closed his eyes.

"Help me. I can't walk," he said quietly to Naruto and the blond obliged immediately. Kiba removed his hand from his wound and put his arm around Naruto's neck. With Naruto supporting his weight entirely, the pair left the bathroom and moved toward the couch. The bathroom door slammed shut as Naruto sat Kiba on the couch and Naruto jumped about a foot in the air, whirling around.

"It's fine," Kiba said. "I need water and chocolate." Naruto walked briskly into the kitchen. "Glasses are in the cupboard by the fridge," Kiba explained. Naruto came back moments later with a glass of water. "Thanks," Kiba said quietly. He was significantly paler and sweatier than when Naruto had set him down, thus, concerning Naruto greatly. "Chocolate." Naruto thought this an odd request in Kiba's state, but he wanted to help nonetheless.

"Where is it?" Naruto asked eagerly. Kiba sighed, as if he was afraid to waste his breath talking any longer.

"Upstairs," Kiba began, nodding to the spiral staircase by the bathroom, "in that room," he continued, nudging his head in the direction of the door that he had come out of when Naruto first arrived. "It's in the… top drawer of the… nightstand on the… left side of the… bed by… the dresser." Kiba finished, panting heavily. Naruto stared at the staircase hesitantly. "He won't… hurt you," Kiba said quietly, though, Naruto could tell it was just because he hadn't the strength to yell. "Take… those… then…" Kiba said panting heavier still and glancing at the spiral staircase on the opposite side of the suite by the bar. Naruto nodded. "Hurry," Kiba said breathlessly.

Naruto half ran up the stairs on the left and across the hall to the bedroom on the right. When he entered, he paused only momentarily to look for the bed. It was easily spotted and he headed quickly over to the nightstand between the bed and the dresser, as he was told to do. He opened the first drawer quickly and froze. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There were chains and handcuffs in there and Naruto was fighting the urge to throw up. Did Gaara chain Kiba up and nearly kill him every night? Naruto clutched at his stomach in hopes of quelling the repulsion, but he heard a terrifyingly weak groan from Kiba and snatched the box of chocolate from on top of the restraints and turned to leave.

Naruto rushed down the steps by the bathroom, forgetting why he'd wanted to avoid them to begin with. As he was passing the door, however, he heard a muffled scream and the sound of something heavy slamming against the ground. It made Naruto jump and run to the couch, his heart hammering in his chest. Kiba groaned quietly again and Naruto could see that listening to Gaara in that bathroom was torture for him. Why Kiba cared, Naruto couldn't tell. Whether Gaara was a monster or not, whatever the fuck Gaara was, Kiba still obviously loved him and Naruto could understand that. It was just the same way that Beauty loved The Beast. What was baffling to Naruto was that Gaara had threatened Kiba so remorselessly in the bathroom. He had Kiba pinned against the wall and was prattling on about how Kiba couldn't stop him. Gaara was clearly abusive. How could Kiba love him in spite of that?

Kiba devoured a few big chunks of chocolate as Naruto paced warily on the other side of the coffee table, flinching every time a noise floated out from the bathroom. Kiba's strength was returning but Naruto wasn't paying any attention to him. His mind was racing and he was just trying to keep up.

Gaara had definitely just bitten Kiba. Gaara was probably abusing Kiba too. Kiba probably had marks and bruises all over his body. There were fucking chains in the bedside table for fuck's sake! Eager to see this proof of abuse and desperate for at least _one_ thing to be clear to him right now, Naruto rushed over to Kiba and wrenched the shirt away from the spot where Gaara had bitten him. Naruto was shocked to see absolutely nothing, not a single bruise or scar or, perhaps, he wasn't really shocked at all. The only thing that stood out was the bruising bite mark that was just inflicted and emitting droplets of blood, looking gruesome. It was mostly because of the splattered blood though, from Gaara hissing. Ignorant of Kiba's silent confusion, Naruto started ripping Kiba's shirt up over his head. He simply _had_ to see the rest of Kiba. Where were the bruises hidden? Where were the scars?

"Wh-What are you doing, Naruto?" Kiba questioned, but Naruto was undeterred.

He finally got the shirt over Kiba's head to see that the man's body was perfectly untarnished. Naruto frowned. There wasn't a single mark. Unless Gaara was limiting his abuse to below the waist, Kiba was clean. Naruto mused about removing Kiba's pants but vaguely thought about how much Kiba would probably fight that. He'd probably be a dead man, too, if Gaara caught him undressing his boyfriend, what with those newly unexplained pointy teeth, whatever the fuck they were. Naruto was just about to decide that the risk of Kiba fighting and Gaara killing him was worth it just to see some proof when he noticed a small patch of raised skin. Naruto sat down next to Kiba and inspected the area closely. Kiba sat quietly, understanding what Naruto was doing. Naruto found that there _were_ scars on Kiba's body. Actually, they were all over Kiba's body. There were _tons_ of them and they all looked like bite marks. They could only be seen if you looked really closely though.

There were none that resembled any kind of cut and there wasn't a single bruise, aside from the obvious ones, so Kiba didn't really _look_ like a victim of domestic abuse. Naruto wasn't sure if he was relieved or not, but Kiba couldn't possibly be getting chained up and _not_ suffer a single bruise or scratch. Kiba looked perfectly intact. The bite marks all over him were pathetic, too. They looked shallow. It was almost as if they weren't even there but Naruto told himself that being bitten was abuse too. So maybe Gaara wasn't beating Kiba, but he was definitely biting him and… and… and what? Just _what_ was Gaara doing? Naruto had discerned that Gaara was definitely doing a lot of biting but there were no answers as to what for. This all seemed a little too weird of behavior to just be some biting fetish, not after what Naruto saw in the bathroom. Gaara had changed, so Naruto was forced to face the question head on. _What_ was Gaara?

"You're confused, I know," Kiba said quietly. Naruto only then noticed how strongly Kiba spoke. Naruto hadn't noticed at the time, but Kiba had even fought to have his shirt removed, something he should have been far too weak to do. Kiba had, somehow, regained his strength.

"Yes," Naruto said quietly. "In short, I'm confused."

"Well, I guess we'll _have_ to tell you now, won't we?" Kiba said lightly as he propped his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back into the couch.

"Tell me what?" Naruto asked as he sat up more stiffly on the couch, unable to relax as easily as Kiba.

"Everything we've been trying to hide from you," Kiba said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

"How are you so… so… _you_?" Naruto asked, unable to find the right words. "A minute ago you were… You were…"

"Dying?" Kiba finished through a mouth full of chocolate. "I _was_ dying but the chocolate helps," he explained as he swallowed the candy. "I can't explain it too well, but it's got something to do with counteracting the venom. Of course, we get special chocolate anyway to do a better job of that." Another loud scream and a bang issued from the bathroom and Kiba look fretfully in that direction. "Alcohol dulls the edge and I _did _have three glasses of scotch, so the urges should die down soon. It always makes him reckless, too, though. He'll probably be banging things up for a bit," Kiba said vacantly, staring at the bathroom.

"Venom?" Naruto asked. His thoughts were stuck on the word. "You weren't dying from lack of…" Naruto wanted to say 'blood', but that would be saying that Gaara was sucking Kiba's blood and he wasn't sure he could think that without feeling absolutely insane. Kiba let the silence drag out a moment longer, seeing if Naruto would finish.

"I _did_ lose a bit of blood but it takes a lot more feeding than that to do you in," Kiba informed decidedly. "Shit, Gaara would have to do _a lot_ worse to drain me dry and kill me." Naruto looked at Kiba blankly. What the fuck was Kiba saying? "It's the venom that makes you pale looking. It's venom that makes you cold and clammy. It makes you weak and starts to kill you. It makes it hard for your prey to fight back, you know?" Kiba said casually, forgetting that he wasn't speaking to someone who was as accustomed to vampires as he himself was. Thinking better of his casual tone, Kiba continued on a bit more tentatively, "Well… Uh… Do you get what I'm saying, Naruto?"

"No," Naruto said slowly, "I do not get it." Kiba sighed and sat up right on the couch.

"I'm saying that Gaara is a vampire," Kiba said plainly. He had learned from his own experience of being told that the best way to do it was just to say it. It's not easy to swallow whether you're blunt or not. If you beat around the bush, though, it just wasted more time. Of course, Kiba had been three when he learned about vampires and Naruto was nineteen, but Kiba suspected it would all be the same no matter what age.

Naruto stared into Kiba's eyes for a short moment before looking down at his legs. He mulled the word over a few times in his head and, eventually, decided not to fight it. Why should he? Just because society says things like that don't exist doesn't mean that it's true. He was sitting here with someone whom he trusted completely after having witnessed him literally having his blood sucked. What was there to argue? It seemed rather plain and obvious. Until someone could prove otherwise, Gaara was a… a vampire. It seemed unreal and, yet, here it was, so obviously real. Naruto still felt a little insane, but he didn't want to waste the energy psychoanalyzing the situation.

"So… that's why you've been so weird with me?" Naruto asked, slightly happy that he'd finally get the answers to all of his curiosities.

"Yes…" Kiba said slowly, apparently expecting Naruto to freak out any minute now.

"That's why I can't walk down 54th and that's why I can't go out at night alone?" Naruto added.

"Yes," Kiba affirmed again, looking concerned that Naruto hadn't flipped shit.

"I'm not going to panic," Naruto informed Kiba once he'd looked into Kiba's eyes and saw that Kiba was clearly expecting it. "I panicked enough in that bathroom for days." Kiba laughed and Naruto found himself laughing along. It was a strange and foreign feeling. When did this situation become so light?

"It's a dangerous city here," Kiba said once his laughter died. "There are a lot of nightwalkers, unlike other cities."

"Nightwalkers?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Nightwalkers are the ones who attack humans. I'll bet this is the only city in the world that has this many. They're everywhere but VSAF takes care of them pretty quickly if they don't heed warnings," Kiba began. Naruto didn't mind the lengthy explanation to follow though. It just meant that Kiba was back to his old self, chatting up a storm.

"Vampires For the Safety of Humankind is the full name, but everyone calls it VSAF. It's like the vampire police force, but they're not really official. They just have enough support to take out the ones who don't listen to them. That fact alone keeps mostly everyone in check. They're really lax though. They don't interfere really at all. They're just a bunch vamps who don't believe in feeding on humans. They created a supplement for human blood to avoid feeding on humans and a lot of vamps use that, but there are also vamps that prefer animals. It's not human but it's better than a cold, lifeless supplement. You know, something about the whole hunting and killing thing makes it taste better I guess. I don't really know. I'm only human.

"In any case, VSAF will give vamps known to prey on humans a couple of warnings but if ignored, they'll hunt them down and kill them. Unfortunately, there was a gang of nightwalkers that popped up in this city some time ago. Most nightwalkers choose to live out in the country where VSAF pays them less attention. It's easier to do what you want out there. This gang that popped up, though, has been really good about keeping themselves hidden. They prey on the homeless, orphans, or anyone that won't be missed. VSAF can't punish them if they don't even know they're hunting, right? They've got too many clever people in the gang like Sai," Kiba explained.

"Sai? He's one of them?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah," Kiba said ruefully, "that damn leech."

"Leech? That was what Gaara called Sasuke too, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Kiba said rigidly and disdainfully, clearly offended that Gaara would use such a word on Sasuke. Naruto found the fact that Kiba was defending Sasuke very odd, too. "It's just a street name used for nightwalkers, people who are too weak or corrupted to resist feeding on humans. They don't value human life. They act like their lives are much different from ours," Kiba said.

"Kiba, wasn't… wasn't Gaara once… I mean, it sounded like…" Naruto trailed off when he saw Kiba's reproachful glare.

"Yes, I was a leech," Gaara said quietly from the doorway.

"You were not!" Kiba exclaimed quickly, whipping around to reprimand his companion. When he turned back to Naruto, he saw that Naruto had jumped from the couch and backed away, only to find himself backing into more couch. The sight angered Kiba.

"Don't!" Kiba warned Naruto angrily. "Don't do that, Naruto!" Kiba's eyes were brimming with frustrated tears and Naruto could see just how much it hurt Kiba to watch Naruto act so differently toward Gaara. Naruto couldn't see how he shouldn't though.

"He… He just… But… He bit you! He bites you all the time from the looks of it!" Naruto exclaimed, desperate for Kiba to see some sense. "Is it always that gruesome and violent? I'll bet it is! I'm surprised you're not dead, Kiba! You don't have to take it, you know," Naruto said, lowering his voice sympathetically. "If he's threatening your—"

"Shut up!" Kiba shouted. "Don't you _dare_ say that about Gaara! I won't hear it!" Naruto stared at Kiba pleadingly for a moment but it seemed that Kiba would continue to wholeheartedly defend Gaara, despite how little Gaara seemed to deserve it.

"It's alright, Kiba," Gaara said softly. He walked to the armchair sitting at across from the part of the couch that Naruto had stumbled into. He sat down stiffly, sinking in comfortably once he made contact. "I deserve a bit of that."

"You do not," Kiba argued quickly and quietly, his voice trembling and falling to a whisper. "Don't say that."

"Kiba," Gaara said gruffly, as though he was tired of the conversation, even if it had _just_ started, "your loyalty may be your downfall." Kiba looked as if he was going to argue but, instead, turned to Naruto.

"Sit back down," he ordered, pointing a demanding finger at the couch where Naruto had been sitting. Naruto hesitated but decided or, rather, hoped that Gaara was done with blood sucking for the night and did as he was told. However, he chose to sit down on the patch of couch he had migrated to, rather than the spot he had previously occupied. Here he, at least, had a whole coffee table between Gaara and himself. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing except poor, abused Kiba. Kiba remained standing. "Now, you listen to me Naruto. Gaara does not mistreat me."

"Kiba—" Gaara began but was waved off with a dismissive hand.

"Gaara is nothing but good to me," Kiba continued.

"I don't—" Gaara began but was interrupted again.

"He does not, I repeat, _does not_ abuse me. I am a feeder, Naruto. This is what I'm meant for. I offer and he bites," Kiba said firmly and Gaara made no attempt to disagree this time. Kiba sat back down, staring at Naruto. Naruto could see a conflict burning within Kiba but it didn't look like Kiba would share. "It sometimes isn't pretty, but don't you dare think less of him for that. It's hard to fight a temper _and_ the constant urge to suck someone's blood all at once. What you saw tonight is by no means what happens every night."

"But those chains—" Naruto began but was interrupted by Kiba glaring accusingly at Gaara.

"I said they were absurd!" Kiba exclaimed before turning back to Naruto. "We do _not_ use those. Gaara bought them yesterday, insisting that I chain him up at night and… well… during other more intense situations…" Kiba added rather properly and Naruto knew that he was talking about things better left said in the bedroom. "It's stupid though. Gaara can control himself. You have to understand what that argument with Sasuke was like for Gaara before you can judge him and you can't understand that yet, so you can't judge him yet. Although, I prefer you _never_ judge him, whole story or not."

"I shouldn't have done it," Gaara interjected. "I shouldn't have touched you."

"It was either that or Naruto," Kiba argued quickly. "You were a mess, Gaara. If I didn't give you permission, you'd have…" Kiba let the sentence die. "I wasn't going to let you do that."

"Exactly!" Gaara exclaimed. "You had to suffer to keep me from killing him! I'm a monster!" Kiba grimaced, the notion of killing Naruto having been what he was trying to avoid saying.

"It happens," Kiba argued. "Every goddamn vampire on the planet has lost control! You're not the only one, Gaara. You're not a monster." Gaara gave Kiba a significant stare that was silently disagreeing. Kiba held it for a short moment before saying quickly, apparently having just understood it, "It's been years, Gaara! _Years_. You're different." Naruto got the feeling that they were talking about something that he wasn't in on and he was curious.

"Years since what?" Naruto asked, thinking that if Gaara had some really dirty vampire secret, he wanted to know.

"Nothing," Kiba said quickly, not even bothering to look at Naruto.

"I thought we weren't playing that game anymore?" Naruto argued, causing Kiba to look at him. Kiba seemed to be weighing his options. That was true. He _had_ told Naruto that he would tell him the truth. However, this particular truth might be best left unsaid. Kiba was about to reiterate his 'nothing' when Gaara spoke up.

"I killed my neighbor," Gaara said plainly right to Naruto, who stared at him through wide eyes.

"What?" Naruto managed to whisper, though the horror was crisp and clear in his voice. This sent a look of shame barreling through Gaara's eyes.

"I was twelve," Gaara explained. "I was running with the wrong crowd and they convinced me to do it. I was curious and young. I was _stupid_. I have never in my life been a nightwalker, Naruto," Gaara added hastily. "I was raised right. My family are good and decent but those friends of mine just kept tempting me. I happened to see my neighbor walking home one night, so I just decided to do it. I ended up chasing him down an alley and… I killed him," Gaara finished regretfully, a look of disgust for himself filling his features.

Naruto felt repulsed by the story. Gaara, his friend, was a vampire and he had once killed a man. He didn't just kill him though. He hunted him down like an animal. Naruto swallowed thickly. Gaara _was_ young, though, and he was pressured by his 'friends'. Anyone would crack under peer pressure. Sure, most of the time your friends weren't trying to convince you to commit murder but Naruto had to remind himself that this wasn't normal life anymore. This was vampire life. Gaara had been confused, surely. Just like that time that Naruto stole a coke from the convenience store. His friends convinced him that it was no big deal but he felt terrible afterward. Gaara had been convinced to kill. Certainly, that wasn't easy on him. Naruto reminded himself who he was talking to. Despite what Naruto was inclined to assume, Gaara was _good_ and Naruto knew that. Was he going to let some preconceived notion and a lack of understanding cloud his mind?

He understood now though. Naruto couldn't pretend to understand the struggles of a vampire but he _could_ rely on the truths that he knew of Gaara now, and he knew that Gaara was a good man. Was he truly going to punish Gaara, the man who sat before him now so honestly regretful and pained by his own decisions? Wouldn't Gaara, certainly, have already been punished enough? If the look of remorse on his face wasn't enough to convince Naruto that, if nothing else, Gaara had suffered plenty of emotional punishment for his actions, then nothing was.

"You were young," Naruto finally said quietly. Gaara looked up at him reluctantly, as if he feared that Naruto would see the monster within him once their eyes met and take the words back. "It wasn't your fault. I know… I know you as you are _now_, Gaara," Naruto said, a smile creeping up on his lips. "You're a moody, broody guy, but you have a great laugh and you're my friend."

Gaara's chest heaved as Naruto said the words and he looked away abruptly, clearly trying to hide his tears. Kiba smiled gratefully at Naruto and moved to slide into the chair beside Gaara to enclose him in a hug. Gaara pushed him away roughly, though, and Kiba slid off onto the floor, looking at Gaara angrily.

"I could hurt you. I've… I've done it twice now," Gaara said. "I don't know who I've become but I don't want to kill you, Kiba. I'll never forgive myself if I do."

"You won't!" Kiba said with confidence. "You never could, Gaara. You came back to me when I asked."

"Just barely!" Gaara snapped as he buried his face in his hands. "I just _barely_ felt you, Kiba."

"But you felt me, nonetheless," Kiba argued. "It doesn't matter if I come to you through a shout or a whisper! What matters is that you hear me!"

"I almost—" Gaara began.

"_Almost_!" Kiba exclaimed, scrambling to kneel before Gaara and wrenching his hands from his face, forcing the redhead to look at him. "_Almost_ is the key word here. _Almost_ is the difference between life and death and _I am alive_."

"By luck," Gaara retorted.

"No! By love!" Kiba argued. "Don't you dare refute me!" Kiba warned when Gaara opened his mouth. "_I_ chose this life."

"_As a child_," Gaara stressed. "We were _children_ and you were _stupid_ and _I_ was selfish. I was blood thirsty and you were so fucking willing."

"What?" Kiba said, a mirthless laugh escaping his mouth. It was dry and almost hysterical. "You're kidding."

"No!" Gaara said sharply. "You've had years of abuse by my hand. We aren't children anymore. You can't be just like mommy."

"Don't you dare!" Kiba snapped.

"Why not?" Gaara refuted. "That's what started this whole mess and it was fine back then but fuck, Kiba! Look at us!" Gaara pushed Kiba back and gestured to his bare torso. "Look at _you_! You know what happens to people like us, Kiba, to people like you. Look at Mikoto. She—"

"I'm going to my room and I'm going to sleep!" Kiba interrupted quickly, springing up from his kneeling position. "I'm fucking tired, and I don't want to hear any goddamn self-pity from you anymore… and _you_," Kiba said loudly, whirling back around to Naruto, "don't judge my boyfriend!"

"I'm not," Naruto defended quickly.

"Good!" Kiba said loudly. "Tomorrow, this will all be over! That's that! I don't want to hear any more about it," Kiba demanded of both Naruto and Gaara.

With that, he turned on his heels, stomped over to the staircase, climbed it, and slammed his bedroom door. Naruto and Gaara watched him go in silence. When the door was closed, Gaara wiped his face of any lingering emotion and looked back at Naruto, clearly feeling uncomfortable. Naruto knew that Gaara was thinking that Naruto _did_ resent him and was only pretending not to in front of Kiba. That wasn't the case though.

"I'm _not_ judging you, Gaara," Naruto reassured firmly. "I can't imagine what your life is like, so I won't pretend that I have the authority to judge you for living it as you do. Like I said, you're my friend. Nothing changes that, not even this."

"Thank you," Gaara said softly, nodding his head appreciatively and relaxing a tiny bit. "It _is_ a difficult life."

"Tell me about it?" Naruto asked. "I want to know."

"Another time," Gaara said as more of a plea. "I'm tired and my boyfriend is mad at me for being rightfully resentful of my actions."

"He just doesn't want to see you struggle," Naruto said.

"I know," Gaara answered quietly, "but it's hard not to when you're living my life." There was a heavy silence that engulfed them before Gaara continued. "I'd like to drive you home but… I don't think I'll be able to stand it," Gaara said, although it clearly pained him to admit this.

"It's fine," Naruto assured, even though he wasn't really sure that it was. He didn't want to admit his apprehension to Gaara—_and_ he was definitely going to try to be understanding—but the fact remained that Gaara was dangerous and quite a bit scarier now that Naruto knew what he knew. He hated the fact that he was eager to be away from Gaara but he was eager, nonetheless. "I'll just stay the night," Naruto offered against his better judgement.

"No!" Gaara disagreed quickly. "Bad idea. I just mean"—Gaara sighed heavily—"Kiba will be loud tonight, moaning and groaning in pain. At least, until the pain killers kick in. It was… It was a pretty rough bite. I don't think you'll want to hear that. Plus… If I can't be in the car with you, you probably shouldn't be sleeping in my guest room either, should you?"

"No," Naruto agreed quietly, trying to sound calm. Truthfully, the words made his heart rate double. Gaara was admitting that he could hardly resist the urge to attack Naruto, and that made Naruto feel sick to the stomach. Gaara was giving him reason to be apprehensive and scared. "I'll call a cab," Naruto offered, barely above a whisper. Gaara stood from his seat and his eyes began to darken significantly. Naruto vaguely wondered if Gaara could sense how fast his heart was beating.

"There's a big chance you'll be risking your life doing that in this part of town," Gaara warned. Naruto wanted to refute. He wanted to argue that this part of town was absolutely flawless. Who would hurt him here? He couldn't find his voice though. Gaara pointed at the elevator. "Suite three. You can sleep in there. Once you get inside, lock it up. There will be a button on your left in the kitchen to keep it blocked off. Kiba is the only one who knows the password. Don't open it, no matter who tells you to. The only person I want you to trust is Kiba. Don't even let the maids in," Gaara warned sternly, his eyes darkening even more, "and especially not me." Naruto nodded slowly in return. Gaara repeated, "Suite three."

Naruto sat mesmerized for a moment, letting the instructions sink in as his mind was feeling rather sluggish at the moment. Once they did, though, he popped up off of the couch and crossed to the elevator, pressing the button to summon it. Gaara didn't move from his spot by the chair, but still watched Naruto closely. The elevator dinged and the doors opened automatically, but Naruto hesitated a moment.

"Good night, Gaara," Naruto said quietly. "I'm glad I met you."

Gaara made no sign of recognition though. In fact, it didn't even feel like Naruto was looking at Gaara at all anymore. He had taken on a different energy and this unnerved Naruto, so he stepped quickly into the elevator. He hovered his finger over the button as he took one last glance at his friend. Gaara's lip twitched and his eyes narrowed, prompting Naruto to punch the button urgently. Naruto swallowed hard and feared that simple action would trigger Gaara again. The elevator doors slid shut and dinged only moments later. They opened up behind him and Naruto turned around confusedly. Then, there was a loud bang against the doors that had just closed which caused Naruto to jump out of the elevator swiftly. He had definitely just triggered Gaara.

He fumbled around in the dark for the button Gaara spoke of. The doors were closing and Naruto was panicking. He couldn't find the button and, at any moment, the doors would open for Gaara to usher him right to Naruto. His hands began to tremble when he heard a muffled ding. Searching ever more frantically along the wall for the button, Naruto realized that he was on the wrong side of the elevator. He jumped across to the other side of the doors and found the button immediately. He slammed it and heard what sounded like heavy, metal locks click into place behind the elevator door. He waited for the elevator to ding and not open, infuriating Gaara, but the ding never came. After a few very long, tense moments, Naruto decided that Gaara must not have gotten in the elevator. There was no disappointed hissing or growling coming from the shaft. There was no loud bang against his doors. There was only silence. Gaara must have gone to bed.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Kiba was in there with Gaara. What would Gaara do to him? Naruto stared down at what he could see of the lock button in the darkness, contemplating his urge to click it and bring Kiba in suite three with him. After a long moment, he released a shaky breath and decided that Kiba would be fine. After all, he had been living with Gaara for most of his life. Feeling uneasy nonetheless, Naruto stood and tried to comfort himself at the elevator doors for a few long minutes before he could tear himself from that spot. He, eventually, made his way up a staircase and collapsed on the first bed that he found. He felt the weight of the night's events roll off of his shoulders. With a deep sigh and, thankfully, a blank mind, he fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Ren

**A/N:** There are some links having to do with floor plans at the bottom of the chapter. Use them if you'd like, don't if you don't like. In any case, they're there :) Also, I've changed 'The Order' to 'VSAF' (Vampires For the Safety of Humankind). As a street name, people just take the 'V' from 'Vampires' and the 'SAF' from 'Safety'. Simple and I like saying it more than 'The Order'.

**Warning:**  
—Bacon xD bahahaha! I love bacon.  
—Mentions of physical abuse... I'm pretty sure you can't get around calling it that this time, whether it was intentional or not. Although, it _is_ hard to _un_intentionally abuse someone, to be fair.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Ren**

Naruto rolled over lazily in his bed and inhaled deeply. He scrunched up his nose in confusion. Did he smell bacon? Who was in his apartment making bacon? It couldn't be Jiraiya but then again, it could _only_ be Jiraiya. It could, of course, be Gaara having used his vampire abilities, whatever they were, to sneak in and make Naruto I'm-sorry-for-trying-to-eat-you-and-scaring-the-shit-out-of-you-last-night bacon. Naruto rolled around a few more times before sitting up slowly in the bed. He rubbed his eyes and opened them.

"The fuck?" he questioned quietly as he looked around the dark room. It wasn't his bedroom.

Naruto clambered out of the foreign bed and rammed his knee into the bedside table. He cursed quietly as he rubbed it tentatively. He heard bacon sizzling in a pan and grew more curious. He looked around the unfamiliar room and found the door. He opened it and cowered immediately at the brightness beyond. It was forgivingly dark in the bedroom. He realized he was still wearing his clothes from last night as he braved the sunlit hallway.

When he was able to open his eyes better, he found that he was standing in front of a banister looking out over what looked just like Kiba and Gaara's suite, except for the large corner desk in place of the bar. Then, he remembered that he had taken the elevator to a vacant suite last night or... well, he wasn't sure if he'd actually taken the elevator anywhere. He just stepped in and walked out the other end. He didn't care to analyze the elevator system of this building just now, however. He was glad to see Kiba standing at the stove, cooking breakfast and singing to himself.

Naruto smiled and began to descend the spiral staircase. He meandered slowly across the suite to Kiba, whose back was turned. He sat down at the island in the middle of the kitchen and simply watched his friend. He watched how Kiba's body bounced to whatever beat was in his head. He listened to Kiba's voice sounding bright and cheerful. He suppressed a laugh when Kiba threw his head back and belted out a line of some song Naruto didn't know. Kiba shook his hips amusingly.

"Kiba?" Naruto finally said quietly as he smiled at the back of the brunette's head.

"Hey!" Kiba sang, as if he wasn't even shocked that Naruto was sitting there. "I hope you like bacon because I love it… and it's the only thing that we have in this fridge," Kiba added. "We use this fridge as our meat storage. You know, don't want to have too many tempting things in the suite. Just in case he gets rowdy," Kiba rambled on. "A bunch of bloody meat isn't gonna help calm him down. I meant to bring eggs over but someone was really grumpy when I woke up. I was eager to get away."

Kiba voice was light and disconcerted but Naruto felt anxiety rise up in his own chest. He remembered _why_ he had to sleep in this suite last night. Gaara was threatening his life only after having threatened Kiba's too. Kiba had also just said that Gaara woke up grumpy and that concerned Naruto. Was Gaara still in a frenzy? Kiba seemed to sense Naruto's concerns.

"It always takes him a while to cool down after... well, you know. Last night was pretty intense. I won't be surprised if he takes a whole day to get himself together," said Kiba, still cooking the bacon with his back turned.

"How long does it normally take?" Naruto asked.

"Well, that depends on the situation, really. If he's just having a bite, it takes an hour or two. If he hasn't had one in a while, it takes a couple more hours. I find that if the situation is a bit… heated… it takes hardly a few minutes," Kiba explained.

"Heated?" Naruto questioned and Kiba laughed a laugh that died down quickly in his throat.

"Yeah, you know… if we're… in the bedroom," Kiba said slowly.

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed quickly. "You do that in there?" Kiba laughed another short lived laugh.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't understand, would you? It's not like being attacked by an animal every night. He's really gentle. It can feel really good actually." Naruto felt like he should be blushing at this very personal information but he wasn't. In fact, he felt so comfortable with Kiba that he'd probably talk about his own sexual desires with him. "When you mix the thirst with being horny, it does some weird shit. It makes him want to bite me more and in the strangest places but, afterwards, he composes himself really fast. It only takes a few minutes, at most. It's probably just because he can relieve a lot more tension in those kinds of situations," Kiba mused casually.

"Yeah, I'll bet that's it," Naruto agreed just as casually. He wasn't sure when Gaara being a vampire and talking about his sex life with Kiba became casual conversation, but he wasn't fighting it.

"He hasn't had a go at me for two days though," Kiba went on. "A couple of nights ago, he lost his control the first time but he never actually bit me. He _did_ start talking the same way he was last night though. He said that I couldn't stop him, that I was his, and he could do whatever he wanted with me. It really freaked me out, so I yelled at him until he came to his senses. I kept trying to convince him to just have one bite to make him feel better, but he kept refusing." Kiba's voice was now quiet and subdued.

"He was too afraid to bite me. He said that he didn't deserve me after having spoken to me like that. I insisted on getting him supplements but he refuses to let me out of the house without him by my side, so he was trying to suppress two days worth of bloodlust last night. I wasn't surprised when he lost it in the bathroom." Kiba paused, unsure of whether or not he wanted to share the next piece of information with Naruto.

"Kiba?" Naruto voiced, urging him to go on after a moment. Kiba sighed.

"His eyes were redder than ever before when I woke up this morning," he said quietly. "He was just sitting on the bed watching me. It really freaked me out but…" Kiba paused again and Naruto could tell he was dreading having to reveal the next part.

"I won't judge him," Naruto assured quietly. Kiba nodded and went on.

"As soon as I moved to get out of bed, he jumped at me. I ducked out of the way and ran down the stairs. Well, being himself, he just threw himself over the banister and blocked my way. He was crouched down, so I kicked him in the face. I just grabbed the first heavy thing I could get my hands on which was a bowl on the island and ran too the elevator. He's fast, so he was right behind me. I smashed the bowl in his face and he went down pretty hard, so I jumped in the elevator. Then, obviously, I ended up over here," Kiba finished.

"Kiba..." Naruto began with concern, but there really was no end to the sentence and Kiba didn't give him a chance to figure one out.

"He's lost himself, Naruto," Kiba said quickly. "You said you wouldn't judge him. You don't know what _he's_ going through."

"I'm not judging him," Naruto said back, "but he _is_ dangerous. You can't deny that. How do you know he's not gonna go find someone out on the streets?"

"It's Gaara," Kiba said firmly. "He'd never hunt."

"He already has, hasn't he?" Naruto argued.

"Eight years ago!" Kiba snapped. "He's changed."

"He's still the same thirsty guy right now though, isn't he?" Naruto said tentatively. Kiba sighed and tipped the bacon onto a plate and turned around slowly. "Kiba!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, a look of horror overtaking his face.

"Oh, did I forget to mention the part where he punched me? Hard." Kiba said weakly, trying to smile casually and wincing instead. There was a big, dark bruise on his left cheek. He set the bacon down on the island and shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and failing completely. "It's no big deal. I should have expected it. If I was smarter, I would have just come over here with you last night."

Naruto felt a sharp pang at the words. Naruto had sat in front of that elevator debating whether or not to go get Kiba for, at least, ten minutes last night. He had decided not to and he now felt responsible for Kiba's big bruise. Naruto caught Kiba compulsively tugging at the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt nervously out of the corner of his eye.

"I shouldn't have been so relaxed about it. I should have known. After so many years with Gaara, I've never faced him like that. I shouldn't have thought that I knew what I was doing when I didn't. I should have come over," Kiba said quietly. "Especially after the first time," he added quietly, more to himself than to Naruto.

"The first time?" Naruto questioned quickly. Kiba sighed heavily.

"_Maybe_ he bit me a couple of times last night," Kiba said reluctantly. Naruto grit his teeth angrily. The reason Gaara hadn't bothered to get at Naruto any further was because he had Kiba right there in his hands. Apparently, he didn't go to sleep. He went and attacked Kiba again. Another sharp pang of guilt rushed through Naruto.

"How many times?" Naruto demanded.

"Two… or three" Kiba said meekly, averting his eyes, "or seven."

"WHAT?!" Naruto shouted, jumping to his feet.

Naruto was engulfed by rage. He didn't know what he would do with a thirsty vampire rampaging in the suite over, but he walked to the elevator, nonetheless, determined to do _something_ for Kiba. Kiba hadn't deserved that. It was outrageous. Kiba grabbed the back of Naruto's shirt, though, and yanked him around. Naruto was just about to protest when Kiba threw himself against Naruto in a hug, sobbing heavily. Naruto sighed and hugged his friend back. He guided Kiba over to the couch and they sat down. Kiba continued to cry and Naruto continued to console him for a long time. Finally, Kiba composed himself and wiped his tears from his eyes.

"I-I've never seen Gaara like that," he said quietly. "I didn't even think it was possible."

"Of course not," Naruto said softly. "How could you have known he was capable of such things after years of him being so seemingly… trained?"

"Don't talk about him as if he's a dog!" Kiba snapped quickly, recoiling from Naruto.

"I'm sorry!" Naruto said quickly. "That's not what I meant." Kiba nodded curtly after a long moment.

"Kiba… Uh…" Naruto struggled to find the right words. Kiba was suffering over Gaara right now and all Naruto could do was think over all the questions he had been dying to ask Gaara. It would be really hard not to sound insensitive right now, but damn! He wanted answers!

"You're curious, I know," Kiba said wearily. "Just ask whatever you want." Kiba sank back into the cushion of the couch.

"How do you become a vampire?" Naruto asked eagerly. Kiba gave him a skeptical look.

"You interested in making the change?" he asked disapprovingly.

"No!" Naruto said quickly. "No, I'm just curious."

"Gaara was born one," Kiba said plainly. "Otherwise, you're bitten. I thought that would be pretty obvious."

"But you're bitten all the time and you're not a vampire," Naruto prompted.

"Like I said last night, something to do with the chocolate counteracts the venom," said Kiba.

"Then, why doesn't everyone just do that?" Naruto asked naively.

"Some people _want_ to change," Kiba said. "Some people enjoy life as a nightwalker. Some people think it's the only way to be with a vampire. Some people are just stupid and think it'll be fun. If you think about it, though, Naruto, if you've been drained of almost all your blood and are weak or unconscious, how are you going to get chocolate? What if you don't even know that chocolate will help? Most of the population doesn't even know that vampires _exist_, let alone how to protect themselves from one. It's different depending on how severe the bite is, but it usually only takes about a couple of hours to change completely and the bulk of it is spent unconscious. There's a very small window to fight it. Plus, chocolate is just for weak bites. If someone bites you with the intent to change you, they're injecting venom into you purposely and lots of it. Chocolate won't save you from that. You'll have to get the venom out another way."

"How do you do that?" Naruto asked.

"Well, VSAF has created an anti-venom. People can carry that around for safety, but a lot of the unstable, good vamps just inject themselves with it. If the changing process is never triggered, the venom will stay in the vamp's system for a week. After that, they inject themselves again. That way if they attack anyone, it's immediately negated," Kiba explained.

"Wait, anti-venom isn't _dangerous_ to vampire? It doesn't hurt them?" Naruto asked.

"No, venom goes through a sort of changing process when it travels between bodies," Kiba said.

"Explain," Naruto insisted simply.

"Well, it's one thing inside a vamp but as soon as it touches another being's blood, it starts to change. That's why vampires are fine but humans aren't once they're infected. It makes us weak, sick, tired. That kind of stuff makes us easier to subdue. It makes it really hard to fight back because our strength is drained quickly. Living with a vamp, I've learn early on not to fight if I'm in a sticky situation. You'll pass out real quick if you move too much. It makes the venom spread faster," Kiba explained.

"So your saying that vampire venom becomes something else entirely when inside a human?" Naruto asked.

"In a way, yeah. The properties of the venom change when it meets pure blood. The anti-venom targets the specific markers that only appear once the venom starts working to change you, so vamps can inject themselves with it and be fine. That is until they bite someone. When the anti-venom is triggered, it's not _harmful_ to a vampire but it's not exactly a nice sensation, either. That's why Gaara and I don't use it. Once the anti-venom begins counteracting, it becomes painful. It's agonizing, really. That's just to make sure that you don't _want_ to bite anymore, and it works pretty well. The pain will make anyone want to detach right away. Most of the time, it saves people's lives," Kiba informed.

"You and Gaara don't use anti-venom?" Naruto asked.

"That's right," Kiba confirmed.

"Then, how are you still human?" Naruto asked and Kiba rolled his eyes.

"I told you. Chocolate," Kiba said.

"You're never worried that the venom will spread before you can get to chocolate?" Naruto asked.

"Not at all," Kiba said.

"Or that the chocolate won't be enough?" Naruto added on.

"No, like I said, when Gaara bites, he's gentle. Those shallow bites wouldn't start to affect me for a long time. Last night though, he bit me pretty badly. He'd never _want_ to change me, but in that state of mind, it was instinct alone that caused him to inject so much venom into me at once. Being pinned against the wall helped slow it up a bit by keeping me from moving, but as soon as we started going to the couch, I felt myself slipping away," Kiba explained. "I was worried then, but you brought me the chocolate, so I was fine."

"But you said chocolate doesn't work for serious bites," said Naruto. "Was that bite not serious?"

"It was serious," Kiba said, "but we buy chocolate laced with anti-venom because Gaara insists. You should also know that venom injection _is_ voluntary. One doesn't _have_ to inject it every time they bite. It takes a bit of concentration to _not_ release _any_ venom at all, so a little bit usually always escapes. It's no difficult feat to severely reduce the amount of venom you inject though. It's a skill that takes time to learn, but Gaara is really good at it. He could bite me all night and never do any damage. In fact, I would be fine eating just normal chocolate but, like I said, Gaara insists on the anti-venom kind. I always thought it was a stupid idea, to be honest. I never once thought that we'd need anything with anti-venom, but I guess I should thank Gaara for being paranoid. It saved my life last night," Kiba said quietly.

"Where do you get that kind of stuff?" Naruto asked.

"Vamp markets," Kiba answered.

"What else can you get there?" Naruto asked.

"Lots of stuff," Kiba said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Other products laced with anti-venom, pure anti-venom itself, supplemental blood, pure blood—"

"Pure blood?" Naruto cut in. Kiba nodded.

"You can't get it at any _legal_ market, but a lot of the underground markets aren't legal. They sell human and animal blood for convenience to anyone willing to buy it. The slaughter of any being to harvest and sell their blood _is_ against VSAF law, but the shady vamps don't really care I guess. Just like the black market, they don't care about a lot of the laws," Kiba replied.

"Laws? I thought VSAF wasn't official," Naruto said.

"It's not, but they still have laws that they enforce. Just because they haven't been voted into power or whatever doesn't mean that they'll stop fighting for what's right," Kiba answered.

"Laws like what?" Naruto asked.

"Like I said, selling pure blood of any kind is illegal. Also, changing a child that is not your own or orphaning a vampire child are the other two laws that have a no-nonsense policy. There are no warnings for that, only punishment. Hunting humans and attacking endangered animals or animals otherwise protected by human law are also illegal. As I said before though, VSAF is pretty unobtrusive. They'll let you do your thing as long as you don't go crazy. If you make a few unlawful kills, they're understanding. If you get five warnings in your lifetime or two consecutive warnings within a year of each other, you'll be sought out and punished by death. They don't play around. There is no vampire prison. Act out and they'll just kill you," Kiba said. Naruto felt a slight shiver roll down his spine. These guys sounded pretty ruthless. He figured that he had nothing to worry about though. He was human, after all. He was exactly what VSAF was trying to protect.

"There's also a law about infecting people," Kiba went on. "Knowingly infecting someone and refusing to either kill or provide them with a cure is illegal. In other words, if you infect someone, you've pretty much earned yourself a warning, if not death."

"I thought the point of the law against hunting was _not_ to kill people and how do you _accidentally_ infect someone?" Naruto asked.

"Children don't understand what they're doing right away, do they? How fair would it be to give a warning to a three year old? You're expected to educate your children, but there is no specific time in which you can _make_ your child understand their lifestyle. Also, hunting means biting. It doesn't matter if you kill them or not. If you bite, you're hunting. If it's consensual, however, then you're exempt from the law. Plus, infecting someone _is_ killing them," Kiba informed.

"How so?" Naruto asked.

"The way the venom reacts to your body," Kiba said, not sure that he wanted to get into that lengthy explanation. Naruto was eager though.

"How does venom work? How does it change you?" Naruto asked.

"Well, like I said, the properties of the venom change. It becomes more than _just_ disabling. It becomes destructive, destroying pure blood and infecting it. Whatever blood is left in your body will be targeted. The more blood that's drained from you, the quicker the process of changing goes. As a rule of thumb, if someone bites you seriously, you only have a few minutes before you'll pass out, depending on how much you move. The venom infects whatever blood cells _haven't_ been sucked out and creates vampire blood. Once all of the blood is infected, it multiplies until your body has been replenished. It's hard for vampires to suffer blood loss because they're blood cells are naturally regenerative. It's not impossible; it's just hard.

"As I said, it usually only takes a couple of hours to change. That's just because most vampires will drain you pretty dry before detaching from you, leaving you with very little blood to infect. If there's even one drop of blood for the venom to attach to, you will change. The infected cells multiply extremely fast, so the process of actually changing is quick. What takes time is the infecting part. The less blood you have, the quicker the cells are infected," Kiba explained. He intended to get to the dying part, but Naruto cut in eagerly.

"If it's destructive, how does venom _not_ kill you?" Naruto asked.

"It does kill you. When you change, you _do_ die," Kiba said. "Once all of your blood cells have been infected, your heart stops. While the blood is multiplying, you're dead. Only once all of your blood cells have been replenished does your heart start again. When it does, you have the disabling thirst for blood. It's because you don't have any pure blood left that causes you to crave it. Your body never gets used to that change. That's why vampires drink blood. The thirst is their body's way of trying to replace the infected blood with pure blood. Drinking blood doesn't help, of course, but the body doesn't know that. After a good meal, your mind is tricked into thinking it's been healed. That goes away quickly though.

The thirst is really just a never-ending longing to be normal again, if you think about it. It's just your body begging to have normal blood again. Most vampires are content to look at it from a different perspective though. Scientifically, that's what happens. A lot of vampires would argue that they just like the taste; that's all. Of course, that _is_ part of it. Blood smells and tastes better. It's even linked to a feeling of euphoria," Kiba said. When Naruto raised an uncertain brow, Kiba went on in simpler terms. "In other words, the smell can pretty much make you high and the taste can pretty much get you drunk."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Naruto said with a small grin.

"No, I guess not," Kiba agreed, "but when you figure out how easily addicting it is and find yourself not being able to restrain yourself from becoming a murderer, _that's _pretty bad."

"Touche," Naruto said with a defeated nod.

"It's hard to _not_ indulge in the sweetest, tastiest, most intoxicating thing on earth to you. That's why the laws are so lax," Kiba said. "At the same time though, VSAF is pretty serious about going around and infecting people. The last thing we need is more uncontrollable vamps roaming the streets, murdering people left and right. Infection is only lawful if done consensually."

"Are the only ways to stop from changing to be bled dry or use anti-venom?" Naruto asked.

"You can suck it out, too. I've seen Itachi do it when someone brought an unsuspecting girl into Tony's once and she was bitten and left unattended to. Ita is really in control of his urges, so he sucked the venom out and made sure she got some chocolate in her system. The idiot who brought her was banned from the bar. It was Sai's brother, actually," Kiba explained.

"Really?!" Naruto exclaimed. "That would explain a lot about Sai being such a creep himself."

"Yeah, Orochimaru has always been a known nightwalker. Itachi let him and his friends come by without much hassle though, as long as they respected his rules. By no means can anyone bring in unsuspecting victims. The only humans that are allowed in Tony's are those who know what they're getting into. That means people who are aware of the vampire population, which are people like me, who are feeders and are, certainly, protected by their vamps, and people who bring in their own defensive measures, who are looking to get bitten for pleasure. Ita doesn't mind it if a few sluts wanna prance around his bar and offer their veins to a few vamps, as long as they leave his bar alive and human in the end," Kiba explained.

"What about me then?" Naruto asked. "I was none of that."

"Yeah, but you were brought in with me, weren't you? Ita trusted that I wasn't bringing in unsuspecting prey. I did though. I almost got you bitten that night. I never thought about the fact that you could be in danger. I was absolutely mindless. It was stupid," Kiba admitted. Naruto remembered his first night in Tony's.

"Tony's isn't a gay bar," Naruto said more to himself than to Kiba. Kiba tried for another laugh but gave up immediately and grimaced in pain.

"No, it's a vamp bar. You're lucky you had the sense to knock Sai off of you. Well, it's not like Ita doesn't have defensive measures. We would have been able to save you, but we wouldn't know how to explain to you that you were sitting in a room full of vampires, most of which were probably just dying to get a taste of you," Kiba said meekly. "I panicked when Sai tried to bite you. I only then realized what position I'd really put you in. I should have known better when you said that you didn't know Tony's. It's the biggest vamp bar in the area. If you knew about vamps, you'd have known Tony's. I just wasn't thinking clearly. I was too excited about the stupid painting."

"So the tradition at Tony's is…" Naruto paused, prompting Kiba to finish his sentence. Kiba sighed.

"Offering yourself to be claimed," Kiba informed. "Vampires like to claim mates, much like animals, not that they _are_ animals," Kiba added on, giving Naruto a look that just dared him to compare his precious Gaara to a beast. Naruto decided that he would do no such thing. "Most people go to Tony's looking to be a feeder. Sometimes they're looking for multiple vamps, sometimes for just one," Kiba went on. "I was never subjected to tradition because I had a very protective vampire who had already claimed me and everyone was too afraid to ever try to get at me under Gaara's nose. You, however, came in unprotected. Everyone knew that Gaara wouldn't claim _two_ humans and there was no way you were Sasuke's. Sasuke would have stuck to you and brought you in himself if you were. They all knew immediately that you were up for grabs, so the game was on.

"The crowd at Ita's is pretty decent. Some of them are scumbags, but for the lives that they lead, they're pretty good people. You _do_ have to remember that they're not human though, so normal for a vampire may not seem exactly normal to you. Anyway, after Orochimaru's stupidity, Itachi made the rule that no one was to claim any unmarked human in his bar without his permission. It seems that he was on his game that night, even if I wasn't, because he didn't give anyone permission to bite you. As I said, the crowd is pretty decent, so they don't really mind _who_ gets to claim the human, as long as _someone _does_._ They like their tradition. Usually, Itachi talks to every newcomer to be sure what they expect, so he can make sure nothing gets out of hand. Like I said though, we mostly get sluts who _want_ things to get out of hand. As long as no one dies or is changed unwillingly, Ita doesn't really care.

"Everyone was eyeing you though, but I was too distracted to notice. You meant nothing to Gaara at the time, so he didn't care that there was a room full of vamps behind your back scheming to claim you, and Sasuke is Sasuke. I mean, we just found out _that night_ that he was leeching. I doubt he gave a shit about your life. Anyway, Ita must have been feeling extra cautious with you because I hadn't spoken to him about you before you just showed up. Again, I was mindless. Ita is smart though, so, even though I was stupid, he hatched a plan. Dei was to claim you because Dei could be trusted, and it would have been the smartest thing to do. Personally, I think he was kind of thrilled at the idea of getting to bite a human again, but the idea was that he would claim you and make it clear that no one was to touch you. Then, the rest of the vamps would stop leering at you. Ita would have, of course, given you something to counteract the venom right away," Kiba explained. "Unfortunately, we'd still have to explain to you what had happened though, but it was better than throwing you to the wolves."

"Well, that didn't go as planned," Naruto joked.

"No, it didn't," Kiba agreed, "and when you came out unscathed and still oblivious, we decided to just keep it a secret. We didn't know how to tell you."

"I don't understand why Itachi didn't just say no," Naruto said. "Why did someone _have_ to claim me?"

"Well, decent only goes so far. Like I said, they like their tradition. Someone was going to claim you that night, whether Ita wanted them to or not. If he denied them their precious tradition, they might have just killed him for being so stingy. A lot of underground vamps still hold to old-fashioned values and think that humans are just pets waiting to be claimed. Even if they themselves can't have you, _someone_ should. That's why Ita won't just negate the tradition. There was a time when he liked the tradition himself, that would be why he allowed it to ever start to begin with. In due time though, he grew out of that, but it wasn't a bother to let it go on. Everyone that came was willing anyway. Why stop something that everyone enjoyed so much? There hasn't been an issue since Orochimaru, up until you. You're the first human to come in and leave unmarked. You're only the second human to walk into Tony's and _not_ know where you were, thanks to me," Kiba said. Naruto nodded his head in understanding, as he had done throughout the whole explanation.

"I get it," he said. "Don't feel bad though. It's not like you were _trying_ to get me in trouble. It just happened but I'm fine, aren't I?" Kiba smiled at that before the bruise on his cheek disagreed. "But, you know, _how_ am I fine? If the tradition is so dear to them, why did I leave unmarked?"

"Well," Kiba began, "they would have to be pushed to _really_ fuck with Ita. I'll bet he could take on half of the bar on his own. If they wanted to organize it, they could take him down, but why would they want to? Kill him and the bar is shut down. They don't _want_ to hurt Ita, but Ita recognizes that they _could_ if they really wanted to. Because he doesn't want the trouble, he avoids pissing the crowd off too much. At the same time, to avoid their own trouble, the crowd avoids pissing Ita off too much too. They also avoid pissing Sasuke off and, as far they know, you're Sasuke's."

"No I'm not," Naruto said confusedly.

"No, you're not," Kiba agreed, "but that's what Itachi told everyone anyway. No one wants to go against either Uchiha brother if they can avoid it, so if they think that you're Sasuke's, whether he's actually bitten you or not, they'll leave you alone. That was Ita's quick thinking after he kicked Sai out. To please his unhappy patrons, he told them that you were Sasuke's and Sai was acting out of line. They were placated."

"Sai," Naruto practically growled.

"I know," Kiba agreed just as fiercely. "Sai's greedy ass couldn't help but take control when Dei tried to initiate Ita's plan to keep you, for lack of a better word, safe. I'll bet he was just dying to teach Sasuke a lesson," Kiba mused.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, bemused.

"Well, I already told you. I think Sasuke liked you. I think he liked you right away and that would have made Sai angry because, instead of wanting to feed on you, Sasuke wanted to befriend you, I think. Sai is a nightwalker. We only found out _that_ night that Sasuke was hunting with him, too, but _because_ Sai is a nightwalker, seeing Sasuke warm up to a human would have been sickening. Not to mention, he'd be jealous. He seems to think that Sasuke is his play thing. You would make that difficult, wouldn't you? I'll bet Sai wanted to claim you and dangle you in front of Sasuke's nose," Kiba said scornfully. "Sai is sick."

"You think Sasuke liked me _that_ much?" Naruto asked in disbelief. Kiba shrugged his shoulders.

"Like I said that first night at the bar, I think Sasuke needs someone like you and even he can see it," Kiba said. "You know, I think Sai would have made Sasuke feed on you, too. He probably would have made you some bedtime toy. He's sick but not stupid though. Once he saw that you _didn't_ know what kind of place you were in, he backed off. He retracted his teeth automatically. He wasn't dumb enough to attack an unsuspecting human right in front of both Ita _and_ Gaara, not with their families' power. With _his_ family's history, he'd have been in deep shit with VSAF, had he bitten you that night," Kiba said.

"What do you mean? What kind of power do Gaara and Itachi have?" Naruto asked.

"_They_ don't have any power. It's their names that do. Fugaku Uchiha and Ryuu Sundama both work for VSAF. If you try any funny business right under the noses of their sons, you're just stupid," Kiba informed.

"So why don't they just report Sai and get rid of him if they hate him so much?" Naruto asked but Kiba snorted.

"They're not narks, Naruto. Like Sasuke said, everyone is a leech. There's some truth to that. They don't get in other people's business if they don't have to. Not to mention, selling Sai out would be selling Sasuke out too, and then nothing would even change. Fugaku wouldn't publicize that his own son is a known nightwalker. He wouldn't want to have to give Sasuke a warning. He'd have to let Sai off the hook too then. So, really, it wouldn't make any difference. Plus, like I said, they're not snitches. There's no point in being known as one either, or else you'll be targeted and it doesn't matter who your dad is then," Kiba explained.

Naruto nodded pensively. "So that would explain your nice suite." Kiba tried another smile.

"Yeah, Gaara's family is loaded. Because of VSAF Sasuke, Gaara, Itachi, Temari, and Kankuro were all offered these types of living arrangements. Ita opted to go with the bar though, and his father didn't complain," Kiba said.

"Where does Sasuke live then?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Here," Kiba said simply. Naruto perked up significantly. Sasuke lived here? Where? Kiba saw this reaction and corrected himself quickly.

"This is his suite, but he doesn't actually live here," Kiba said. "He refuses to accept this place. The building... well, this whole gated compound is dedicated to vampire living quarters. He doesn't like that, so he has his own apartment." Kiba watched Naruto's mind actively ponder about Sasuke and he decided to change the subject. "Everyone in Gaara's family has worked for VSAF. Gaara is actually the first to break the trend," Kiba said.

"That reminds me!" Naruto exclaimed. "How can he be _born_ a vampire?"

"Vampires aren't a far shot from humans. They live and die like we do. Well, for the most part. Aging goes along quite nicer and they _do_ have to drink blood. Well, they don't _have_ to drink blood. They _have_ to eat though. They can survive without food, of course, much longer than humans though. It'll take you and I a couple of weeks to starve to death, but it'll take them a couple of months. As I said, they don't _have_ to drink blood. If they have a steady diet of blood though, they'll be fine without food. Eating food doesn't quell the bloodlust, of course; it just keeps them from starving. They have to drink water, which can also be replaced with blood. They have to sleep. They have a reflection. They like beds and not coffins. Gaara is actually terrified of bats," Kiba was going on dramatically.

"I get it," Naruto said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, anyway, they can have babies, too. Pair a vamp with a vamp and you get another vamp. Pair a vamp with a human and you get another human. Gaara's parents are both vampires. Everyone in his family is a vampire actually. He has a brother and sister, too, both older. They both plan on joining VSAF," Kiba explained.

"But Gaara doesn't?" Naruto asked.

"Gaara wants to be an artist. That's why he wants to go to university. The reason he doesn't want to join VSAF is because, well, he doesn't get along with Ryuu very well. His dad would rather he didn't join, to be honest," Kiba said quietly, clearly feeling Gaara's sadness himself.

"Is it because of you?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Yes," Kiba said sadly. "It's all because of me."

"Well, Ryuu isn't much of a father if he can't accept his own son," Naruto said firmly.

"It's more complicated than that. This is going against everything they believe. I can understand," Kiba said.

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed. "How can you defend them?!"

"Why are you so riled up about it?" Kiba asked confusedly.

"Homophobes are homophobes, whether they're vamps or not!" Naruto exclaimed and Kiba laughed loudly before it fell into another grimace.

"No," Kiba said, "that's not it, Naruto. It's because I'm _human_." A look of understanding came over Naruto's face. "They don't believe in feeding on humans whatsoever. Gaara feeding on me is an outrage to them. It is to his parents, at least. His siblings are a bit more forgiving."

"Sasuke must have been raised with Ryuu then because he's got the same narrow minded ideas," Naruto jeered but Kiba's serious eyes told him that he'd just stumbled upon some truth. "He was?"

"Not exactly," Kiba said. "Gaara and Sasuke did grow up together though. I'd say the parenting was done by both fathers for all of us."

"All of you? You never _did_ tell me how you all met," Naruto pointed out. He was wondering what Kiba would mean by 'all of us'. Was he adopted into the family or something? Is that how he became so close with Gaara? Kiba stared at the coffee table in front of them for a long moment before speaking again.

"Sasuke is my stepbrother, you know," Kiba informed somberly.

"What?" Naruto asked incredulously. "Are you kidding?" Kiba shook his head and, then, there was a ding from the elevator. Naruto jumped up, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. Kiba remained calm and sitting though. "He can't get in, right? He's stuck out, right? We're safe… right?" When Kiba didn't answer, Naruto turned to him with terrified eyes. "Right?"

"Kiba!" someone shouted from the elevator. "Hurry up before this thing takes me away!" Kiba hurried over to the elevator as the voice beckoned him, and Naruto protested in his wake.

"Kiba! Don't! What are you doing?!" Naruto shouted.

"It's not Gaara," Kiba said shortly, waving a dismissive hand at Naruto as he pushed the lock button beside the elevator. The heavy, metal locks began to unlock themselves and moments later, the elevator doors opened. Out strode a tall man with dark, shaggy hair. He had equally dark, imploring eyes that were studying Naruto carefully. After a short moment, the elevator doors slid shut and the man finally spoke. He turned from Naruto to regard Kiba.

"Across the hall?" he asked softly, his rigidity melting when he regarded the brunette.

Kiba nodded, walking back to Naruto. "He's probably tearing the place apart." The stranger followed Kiba and watched Naruto with hard eyes. Kiba sat back down on the couch but the stranger and Naruto stood staring at each other. "This is Naruto, Kuru," said Kiba. "Naruto, this is Kankuro." Kankuro stretched out his hand to be shaken and relaxed with a smile. It seemed that he recognized Naruto's name, even though Naruto didn't recognize him at all. Naruto shook his hand, nonetheless, to be polite.

"I'm Gaara's brother," Kankuro explained after a long moment of Naruto's palpable confusion. Naruto nodded his acknowledgement. Kankuro sat on the couch beside Kiba and Naruto decided to do the same. "I tried your suite first but it was locked up. I just wanted to be sure he was in. You should have called me last night."

"Yeah," Kiba said, " I know." Kiba sighed and went on, choosing to ignore his faux pas. "I won't be surprised if he's chained himself up, too. I say give him time. He'll come over when he's ready," Kiba said with a shrug.

"You want him over here?" Kankuro asked uncertainly.

"When he's ready, I do," Kiba answered flatly. "I do _like_ him, Kuru, in case you hadn't noticed." Kankuro laughed and Naruto found that relaxing. This guy had a smooth laugh.

"I'll be able to keep him in check, anyway," Kankuro reassured, relaxing back into the sofa.

Just then, there was another ding and Naruto grew tense again. The elevator doors slid open easily and Naruto turned to see his worst fear striding quickly through the doors. There was a short moment where everyone watched in silence and Gaara advanced quickly on them. Then, a loud hiss came from Kankuro as he jumped over the back of the couch. Gaara stopped immediately, looking as if he was seeing his brother for the first time in his life. His eyes were, predictably, blood red but he didn't look as threatening as Naruto had remembered him with those eyes. In fact, he was sort of confused. After a moment, it turned into cowering.

"He won't defy Kuru," Kiba explained quietly as Kankuro forced Gaara to edge meekly around the couch with his glower. Gaara eventually sat in front of the tv, a safe distance away. "Ever since he was born, Kuru was his keeper. It's like that in all respectable vampire families. The eldest sibling inherits that responsibility. They're paid special attention by their parents, making sure that they will grow up to be responsible vampires, so that they can teach their younger siblings respectable ways of life too. Gaara would never dare defy Kankuro. As long as he's here, Gaara will just sit there like that." Naruto felt reassured as Gaara refused to take his terrified eyes from Kankuro who was now sitting back down on the couch, his fangs retracted and looking as calm as ever. Gaara looked pitiful, actually.

"He looks terrified," Naruto pointed out sympathetically.

"He is," Kankuro said plainly, "and he should be. I know it looks bad to you, but this is how it sometimes has to be. When he's just normal Gaara, we can be just normal brothers. When he's like this though, he has to think that I won't hesitate to attack him if he acts out, and I won't." Naruto stared at Kankuro as he spoke, unsure if he was alright with this interaction. He could understand the benefits of having someone capable of subduing Gaara, but this all looked so... inhumane or something.

Just then, Gaara shifted his position and, in the blink of an eye, Kankuro was on his feet hissing at him. Gaara crawled back until he was against the entertainment center, as far as he could retreat. He looked apologetic and Naruto could see that his eyes seemed somewhat clearer now. Kankuro released another short, sharp hiss as a warning before sitting back down. Watching the pair brought Naruto's mind back to another pair of brothers. Naruto wanted to ask about Sasuke again. He was most interested in that, but he wasn't sure how to start that conversation again. Thank god for Kiba's intuition because he started it right up immediately.

"As I was saying, Sasuke is my stepbrother," Kiba began, watching Gaara sympathetically. "My father left my mother before I was born. She met Fugaku a couple of years later and they got married. When she met him, he was against the idea of feeding on humans completely, but she convinced him to abandon that idea by saying he was a danger to the kids if he didn't, so then she became his feeder."

"What about their real mom?" Naruto asked curiously.

"She was Fugaku's feeder, but he lost control one day and… well… she died," Kiba said sadly.

"Feeder?" Naruto asked. "Then, she was human? How is Sasuke not?"

"That's precisely _why_ she lost her life. I think time makes you weary, Naruto. Why else would Gaara have changed so abruptly? How else could he have gone from gentle to... this?" Kiba looked to Naruto instead, unable to look at Gaara any longer. "Raising Ita was easy enough, I guess. He was five when Sasuke was born. Mikoto was weak, though, because Sasuke's birth took a real toll on her, so she wasn't able to feed Fugaku. I suppose the stress of a sick wife, a relentless urge to feed, a constantly crying baby, and a constantly nagging five year old was too much for him. He couldn't go out and buy supplements because he was too busy being a dad and he didn't dare hunt, as if he had the time. One night, he just lost his mind and… well… he bit Sasuke."

"What?" Naruto barely whispered. He couldn't believe his ears.

"She came in and found Fugaku in a frenzied mess. She offered him herself. You know, to save Sasuke. In the end though, he couldn't stop himself. He drained every last drop of blood from her. As if that wasn't bad enough, Itachi saw the whole thing happen. He says Fugaku would have rounded on him too, had Sasuke not interrupted with his crying. In the time it took for Fugaku to finish Mikoto off, Sasuke had completely changed. Fugaku was brought to his senses and swore off human blood for good.

"It was Ryuu that was sent to Fugaku from VSAF to warn him. Seeing the mess that Fugaku was, having just changed his infant child and scarred his five year old for life, Ryuu took pity on him. They became good friends and Fugaku was recruited into VSAF, too. He turned his life around. A couple of years later, he met my mom and she convinced him to revert back to feeding on her. Ryuu was against it all the way. He was convinced that it would only encourage Sasuke himself to feed on humans. Sasuke and Gaara had already been growing up together, but when I was added into the mix, we all got along perfectly," Kiba said.

"Got along?" Kankuro said, laughing. "You guys were inseparable!" Kiba smiled but didn't wince this time.

"Yeah, we were close. Sasuke took to my mom pretty well. Itachi was different though. He was disturbed after his mother's death and he couldn't accept my mom into his life. He was distant from the day I met him. He was never close to any of us. In any case, we grew up together in that way. Kankuro and Temari were always watching us, trying to keep us out of trouble," Kiba went on.

"And failing," Kankuro added. Both Kiba and Kankuro chuckled.

"We we're all home-schooled. They didn't really trust Sasuke or Gaara in public school, and so Ita and I were home-schooled too. Itachi left the house at sixteen though. No one knows where he went. He's never told us, but we've gathered that he changed and met Deidara somewhere along the way because he came back as a vampire with Dei in tow."

"How did you guys go from _that_ to _this_?" Naruto asked, perhaps a bit insensitively. Kiba looked solemnly into Naruto's eyes.

"Ren," he said quietly, his voice full of sadness and his eyes beginning to tear up. "I was three; Sasuke was four; and it was a very short time after our families had come together when—"

"Kiba…" Naruto startled at the sound of Gaara's voice interjecting, but Kankuro did not hiss this time. Naruto was more than relieved to see Gaara's eyes clear and back to their old color again. Kiba did not look at Gaara though. "Sasuke should say the rest if he wants."

"It's my story too," Kiba said miserably, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Of course," Gaara said soothingly, as if he hadn't spent hours upon hours attacking Kiba, "but think of how Sasuke would feel if you gave that information away. Like you said to me yesterday, you know how he is."

"Ask Sasuke, then," Kiba said quietly to Naruto after a short pause, and then he began to cry in earnest.

Kankuro tried to comfort him but Kiba brushed his arm away and walked over to Gaara. Gaara tried to scoot away from the brunette when Kiba collapsed at his side, looking warily at his brother. Kankuro nodded though, and Gaara hugged his companion immediately. Kiba cried harder than Naruto thought humanly possible and Gaara kept watching his brother uncertainly, all the while. Kankuro returned his unwavering stare and Naruto knew that he was watching for the slightest twitch of violence.

Naruto wasn't sure how long he sat there watching the brothers' intense exchange while Kiba sobbed. His mind was wandering to Sasuke. He was more interested in Sasuke than ever before. He was eager to be close to Sasuke. Most importantly, though, he was eager to know who Ren was and how she ruined the relationship between Gaara, Kiba, and Sasuke. Naruto thought vacantly that school would start up in just another week or so. If he was lucky, he'd have a few classes with Sasuke, those would be times in which he couldn't avoid Naruto. Then, Naruto would understand Sasuke a little bit more.

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**A/N:** Here are some links for you guys. Replace those **DOT**s with real periods if you want them to work :)

**Sasuke's Downstairs Layout:  
**i169** DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/SasukeMMaptbottomfloor **DOT **png

**Sasuke's Upstairs Layout:  
**i169 **DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/SasukeMMaptupperfloor** DOT **png

**Studio suites which are below the living suites:  
**i169 **DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/MMArtStudioFloors **DOT **png

**General floor plan of floors 19 & 20:  
**i169 **DOT **photobucket **DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/FloorLayouts **DOT **png

Note that the entire expanse of floors 19 & 20 is dedicated to the private suites, accessible only by the private elevators. Floor nineteen is dedicated to only the studio suites which are suites 1 & 2 (below 3 & 4) and suites 5 & 6 (below 7 & 8). Floor twenty is dedicated to the living suites which are suites 3 & 4 and suites 7 & 8. The people who live in suites 7 & 8 are Kankuro and Temari. Studio suites 5 & 6 are theirs. Obviously, studio suites 1 & 2 are Gaara's and Sasuke's art studios. If you're confused, let me know.


	8. Chapter 8: Savior

**A/N:** A special shout out/thanks goes out to **snowblinded,** pretty much just for liking my work lolol but seriously, thanks for making this worthwhile and mean something. It's always nice to know that someone is actually really pleased with my shizz. I love you xD and everyone else should check out **snowblinded**'s profile! ALSO, there has been a minor, minor change to Naruto's apartment floor plan. I removed a bookshelf and a door, that's all lol but if you feel inclined to see it, it's at the end of chapter two.

**Warning:** There is blood and some weird sexual kind of shit that goes down. I mean, it's odd, but it's nothing to really worry about. If you don't like the idea of blood or it possibly being on someone's tongue and turning things into a strangely sexual encounter, you won't like this.

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**Chapter Eight: Savior**

Naruto watched Kiba absent-mindedly turn his bottle of beer in slow circles on the table. They had been sitting in Tony's for over an hour now, waiting for Gaara to show up. Naruto was really starting to feel uneasy, too, as there were multitudes of hungry eyes watching them intently. Many of them, certainly, had just been waiting for the day that Gaara would leave Kiba unattended, dying to sink their fangs into the brunette. Naruto was, surely, in no less of a predicament either. Kiba seemed completely unaware of the stares though. At first, when he had learned about vampires a week ago, Naruto didn't feel too affected. In all honesty, he was too busy obsessing over Sasuke for the fact that he lived in a world full of people who _drink human blood_ to sink in. He hadn't made the time to really care that he could literally die at every street corner if he wasn't careful. He felt the gravity of that knowledge finally sinking in though, now that there was no Gaara to keep him safe.

Things between Gaara and Kiba had been extremely strained since "that" night. Kiba had to make appointments just to see his boyfriend, if you could even call them boyfriends anymore. More often than not, Gaara simply refused. Now that Kiba had requested their first _public_ meeting, thinking that Gaara just didn't trust himself in private, Naruto felt like they were two sitting ducks, waiting for someone who was clearly _not_ going to come. Fortunately, Deidara had come to sit with them a short while ago. He was watching Kiba with as much sympathy as Naruto too. He seemed to have a reputation strong enough to repel almost everyone. Naruto was further reassured, though, as he periodically heard Itachi's protective hisses erupt from behind them, threatening anyone who dared to meander too close to the trio.

Since Gaara had decided to take up residence in Sasuke's uninhabited suite across from his own, leaving Kiba completely alone, Naruto took it upon himself to spend most of his time keeping Kiba company. They weren't alone though. They were paid regular visits from Kankuro. In fact, he never left. If he did, he departed quickly and silently without Naruto or Kiba ever noticing him come or go. Temari kept herself busy by trying to talk to Gaara himself—to no avail though, seeing as Gaara constantly kept the suite locked up in order to ensure his solitude. Things had taken a real toll on Kiba, who was in a seriously declining state of depression. The first day of classes was in just two days, as if his current stress level wasn't already enough to turn Kiba's brain to mush. If Kiba didn't get himself together, he'd flunk out of university on the first freaking day. Naruto sighed heavily, deciding that it was best to just stop the torture and leave.

"Kiba?" Naruto said tentatively, jolting Kiba out of thought. Kiba looked around sullenly at their surroundings and sighed, prompting Naruto to sigh again himself. Kiba had been lost in more and more of those trances lately, in which he probably dwelt on things that only served to make him more depressed.

"I'm sorry," Kiba said dejectedly, settling his eyes back on his beer.

"It's fine," Naruto assured. "It's not your fault."

"You shouldn't have come. It was a waste," Kiba said quietly. He clenched his fist tightly around the beer that he had yet to take even a sip from.

"It's fine," Naruto repeated quickly, eager to comfort his best friend in any way that he could. "I'm just worried about you."

"So am I," Deidara piped in. "You've been sulking for days."

"Well, my boyfriend has been _ditching_ me for days, hasn't he?" Kiba retorted.

"He probably just forgot," Naruto offered, trying to console but not really believing it himself. It was just that Kiba had grown so close to Naruto so quickly. Naruto adored the brunette. He had evolved from Naruto's first man-crushy-thingy to Naruto's first _real_ best friend. Naruto wanted nothing more than to ease his suffering. It seemed, however, that it was a difficult, if not impossible, task.

"No," Kiba denied quietly, "he didn't forget me. That would have been too kind of him. He just left me to the wolves or, rather, leeches, and he knows it. He knows I could be dead right now just because he didn't show up but, apparently, he doesn't even..." Kiba trailed off when his throat tightened up. He couldn't go on with that sentence. It was painful to admit that Gaara no long cared for his life.

"He's a bastard, then!" Deidara proclaimed. He reached across the table to touch Kiba's hand in silent sympathy, an action that directly clashed with his let's-just-call-him-what-he-is-and-be-done-with-it attitude. Deidara was, clearly, fed up with the whole situation, and it seemed that his capacity for sympathy only extended so far. He couldn't quite see why the sulking should continue. It was simple. Gaara had proven that he was an asshole; now Kiba should move on. All of this in between I-don't-wanna-move-on bullshit just wasn't Dei's way of doing things.

"Don't say that!" Kiba snapped, pulling away from Deidara and resting a disapproving glare on him. Deidara looked deflated but only slightly apologetic. He wanted Kiba to just _move on_. He chose to say nothing more though. Instead, he simply settled back into his chair. After a short moment though, Kiba agreed. "He _is_ a bastard though." Deidara simply _had_ to perk up, letting a satisfied smirk creep across his lips. It wasn't a home-run, but it was a start. Gaara _was_ being a bastard. Hmph. They had thought Sasuke was a dick. Bah! Gaara was giving Sasuke a real run for his money. Admitting that brought Kiba one step closer to giving Gaara the middle finger and getting over all of this, and that made Deidara a happy vamp.

"Come stay with me for a few days," Naruto offered brightly.

"No," Kiba said. "I'd rather stay home."

"Kiba," Naruto began uncertainly, "you know that place is crawling with vamps who'd jump at the chance to bite you. You can't just walk around there carelessly anymore. You need protection."

"What for?" Kiba answered hopelessly. "I've lost the only thing I was even living for."

"Don't say that," Deidara pleaded, his face riddled with concern.

"It's true," Kiba argued with a defeated shrug. "He's been refusing to come home, and I haven't left in days because I've been too afraid that I'd miss him. I ask him to talk to me in public, thinking he'll feel more comfortable around more people, and he just ignores me. He lets me wander out to a fucking vamp bar all alone." Kiba's voice wasn't angry. It was shaky and miserable. "He wants nothing more to do with me. I'm just that human that makes his life miserable, aren't I? Well, fuck what happens to me. I'm already dead anyway."

"Please..." Naruto plead quietly. Kiba cut in though, saving Naruto the trouble of coming up with any more words of comfort, something that he wasn't sure he could do anyway.

"I'm Fugaku Uchiha's son too," Kiba interjected. "Even if things _are_... fucked up... in my family, I like to think that dad would still take out any idiot stupid enough to mess with me." Naruto wondered why Kiba referred to _Sasuke's_ father as 'dad'. It was strange. Fugaku was his _step_father, yet Kiba referred to him as something much more personal. Naruto shrugged it off though. It wasn't crazy to think that one could simply be close with their stepfather, so it should be no big deal. Of course, Fugaku was painted as a man who didn't get close to _anyone_, especially not his _step_son, but Naruto quickly decided that it was a topic better left to another conversation when he heard Itachi speaking up from behind him.

"And he certainly would," Itachi added softly, resting a hand on Kiba's shoulder. "He _would_ kill for you, Kiba. Father is..." Itachi paused, and then went in another direction. "You are still a part of the family, no matter what." Itachi nodded sharply, as if the action would make the words truer. It was obvious how much he wanted to believe his own words, but it was also clear how much he struggled to do so. Itachi's response seemed to spark something in Kiba that caused his expression to wane from certainty to certain doubt.

After a moment, he mused aloud, "Maybe I'm _not_ safe." Itachi flashed Kiba a sad smile, a smile that told of family secrets that Naruto was curious to hear. He was sure it would just be one of those 'ask an Uchiha' things though, and Itachi would, certainly, just direct him to Sasuke, as everyone _always_ did. It really was odd that Sasuke seemed to be the sole secret keeper of the family. It was like they all thought Sasuke would murder them for talking about anything, like they needed his approval to speak freely. Naruto let those thoughts disappear though, as he had more important matters to tend to.

"Come over!" Naruto suggested again. "Just for a few days. Just until Gaara contacts you again to say he's sorry. He will, too. He loves you. I know he does."

"Don't say that," Kiba said quietly, closing his eyes to fight off tears. "It hurts too much."

"Still, just come over," Naruto repeated once more, but Kiba shook his head no.

"I feel better at home," he said. "If I need to go out, Kankuro will take me." It wasn't the answer that Naruto had wanted, but it was an answer he would accept. Kankuro would protect Kiba a lot better than Naruto ever could anyway. It would do.

The week since Naruto first saw Gaara bite Kiba had been a tumultuous week indeed. Kiba thought that Gaara's hankering for solitude would only last a few days, but Gaara still had yet to make much acknowledgment that Kiba still existed. There _were_ the two times that he had shown up in the suite, only after having been dragged by Temari... literally. However, he had left after just a few short, unpleasant minutes each time, leaving everyone upset and frustrated. Even if Kankuro was worried about Gaara's state of sanity around humans, he was also worried about Kiba's state of sanity _alone_. He wanted them to make up because they so obviously needed to. At least, that's what everyone else thought. Gaara was the only one clueless of that fact.

Sasuke had been infuriatingly absent the whole week too. Naruto knew that Sasuke wasn't too fond of him, but he should still have been there for his friends. He _had_ been friends with Gaara nearly since birth and Kiba _was_ his stepbrother. What was Sasuke doing? He _did_ start the argument that started this whole thing to begin with too, so he was kind of responsible. Even if he had expressed his distaste for Kiba and Gaara's relationship very bluntly, Sasuke should still do _something_. One doesn't simply turn his back on such bonds—even if he _is_ Sasuke Uchiha, the bastard of all bastards—does he? Did his tragic story give him some right to be such an asshole? Naruto thought not.

Naruto nursed his beer begrudgingly, momentarily giving up on his attempt to comfort Kiba and, instead, sending angry thoughts to penetrate Gaara and Sasuke's bastard minds. He decided that he would have to have a really stern talking to with them both. They just didn't seem to have their priorities straight right now. Sasuke was ignoring his suffering best friends and Gaara was ignoring his suffering lover. It was madness, and Naruto could take no more of it. He decided, then, that he would go talk to Gaara as soon as they left the bar. Then, he would see Sasuke. _Then_, at the end of it all, _everyone_ would get their shit straight or else... well... he hadn't worked that out just yet. He wasn't sure what he could possibly do to two vampires, but he would do whatever it took to help Kiba. He'd figure out the details later.

Naruto and Kiba were later escorted back to Kiba's suite by Deidara. He was more than willing to take them, seeing as Itachi had what Deidara referred to as his "bitch switch" flipped. He had been extremely moody for the past week, and Deidara was sure that Sasuke was a big factor in that. Even if the pair hadn't gotten along well in years, Sasuke had always been agreeable and allowed Itachi to keep tabs on him. Lately, however, Sasuke hadn't shown up at the bar nor had he taken any of Itachi's calls or answered any of his texts. Itachi didn't want to push his brother too much though, so he avoided actually going to Sasuke's apartment. Apparently, Sasuke didn't tolerate his brother's uninvited presence very well. Naruto was inclined to inquire about this topic, but Deidara was off of it as quickly as he was on it and Naruto knew it was yet another one of those 'ask an Uchiha' things.

Once they had all entered Kiba's suite, as if he could sense them at once, Kankuro showed up. Naruto thought it a real feat that Kankuro had made it down his own private elevator, crossed the private hall in the lobby, and made it up this private elevator just a few short minutes after they had entered the suite themselves. He attributed it to those vampire powers, whatever they were. He'd really have to ask someone about that soon. This was not the time though because Kankuro came into the suite looking absolutely murderous.

Deidara was instantly on the defensive. It wasn't like Deidara and Kankuro weren't friends though, so Naruto wondered what the big deal was. Why was Deidara so bristled? It could just be Deidara's natural defensiveness taking over—if any vampire came in looking as angry as Kankuro did now, it wouldn't be senseless to get defensive—but why was Kankuro looking so angry to begin with? If Naruto thought about it, Kankuro seemed to be honing in on _him,_ and Deidara was slowly placing himself as a blockade in between the two. Fuck. What had Naruto done? When Kankuro blatantly ignored Deidara's warning hisses, Deidara released a full-blown growl and placed himself firmly in Kankuro's way. The noise startled Naruto, but Kankuro was unfazed. He stopped his advance but continued to glare solely at Naruto as he spoke.

"What are you thinking, you fucking idiot?!" Kankuro spat. Yep, definitely mad at Naruto. Naruto shook his head in confusion.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about..." Naruto replied, shaken. In truth, he was kind of scared silly.

Naruto's heart pounded double time as he thought about his plan to approach Gaara. Kankuro had been adamant that no one, under _any_ circumstances, approach Gaara. If a message was to be relayed to him, Kankuro or Temari would do it themselves. Naruto and Kiba had agreed at the time, but Naruto really paid it no mind. That was, not until this very moment. Was that what Kankuro meant? Did he somehow know of Naruto's plan? How, though? Naruto had only come up with it less than an hour ago. It wasn't like he'd told anyone either. Kankuro snarled and, to Naruto's surprise, Deidara wheeled around on him too.

"What are you thinking, you fucking idiot?!" Deidara exclaimed, mimicking Kankuro almost perfectly. The only difference was that Deidara didn't look quite as menacing. After a moment, Deidara groaned. "I'm such an idiot! I should have seen that coming! What if you had... oh my god... I wouldn't have even _known_!" Naruto was confused, to say the least. Deidara should really start speaking in full, comprehensible sentences. Naruto was going to comment on that, until Kankuro spoke again.

"I've been watching Gaara like a hawk. Anything directed at him goes right through me. If you weren't looking and it wasn't a particularly intense feeling, how _would_ you know?" Kankuro said to the back of Deidara's head in what appeared to be an attempt at consolation or something of that sort. Deidara glanced back at him momentarily and nodded in agreement or understanding or something of _that_ sort before turning back to scrutinize Naruto.

"You're not going to talk to him," Deidara said firmly. "He might kill you. I can feel the malcontent radiating off of him _right now_." Naruto raised a confused brow. _What_ was going on? _How_ did they know what he was thinking and _how_ did they know what _Gaara_ was thinking or feeling or _whatever_? Just_ how_? His eyes must have been questioning enough, because Kankuro explained.

"We can feel what you feel, Naruto," he said matter-of-factly. "If we're looking for it, even the tiniest of emotions is palpable. If it's strong enough though, we'll pick up on it automatically. You can't hide anything from us. I don't know what you're _thinking_, but I do know what you're feeling. You feel angry, upset, betrayed, and it's all directed to one specific redhead dwelling across the hall. I can feel your need for answers, your need for change. Not only that, but I can feel Gaara's inclination to provide none of that. Speaking with him will be fruitless, dangerous, and flat-out stupid."

Naruto pondered this for a short moment. So this was one of their vampire powers. Naruto had to admit that it was kind of awesome, even if it was being used against him right now. If he thought about it, it wasn't really being used _against_ him though. Kankuro and Deidara were just trying to keep him safe. After a few moments, Naruto shrugged. There was no point in arguing.

"I won't bother him then," he said, "since you feel so strongly about it."

Deidara dropped his defense-gone-offense immediately, feeling that Naruto's answer was good enough for him. He was instantly back in good spirits. Kankuro, however, seemed a bit more scrutinizing, thinking that Naruto gave in a bit _too_ easily. He could feel the agreeance radiating off of Naruto though, and he couldn't argue with that, so he gave in shortly after. Deidara kept a wary eye on Kankuro nonetheless. Naruto guessed that Deidara was just picking up on some underlying emotions in Kankuro. Naruto just hoped that none of those underlying emotions were aimed at him. Naruto would definitely like Kankuro on his side. You know, in case Gaara decided to break out and attack. Kankuro was the only one who could dominate Gaara with a simple look of his eye. Although, Naruto mused that Gaara's father might also have the same effect. He really hoped that he'd never find out though.

Deidara only hung around for another hour or so before returning to Tony's. Naruto was sad to see him go, too. The blondes had grown close. Deidara was just so easy to get along with. In fact, he was just like an older version of both Naruto and Kiba. That's why the pair of younger boys loved him to no end. Kiba, however, was lost in his sad state of seemingly eternal depression, so Naruto and Deidara were one man short—not that it really mattered; they had just as much fun without Kiba, though it _did_ feel a bit off without his spirit. Kankuro stuck around, as he always did, but he, thankfully, had lost his edge. He would occasionally tense up, but Naruto attributed that to him feeling around Gaara's mind and stumbling upon some things that he didn't like.

When it was dark, Naruto finally decided to go home. He had wanted to stay the night, but Kiba had insisted otherwise. Tomorrow would be their last free day before school started. Naruto agreed reluctantly, but reminded himself that Kankuro would watch Kiba like a hawk and that Gaara would probably rather kill someone on the streets before feeding on Kiba again anyway. When Kankuro and Naruto were situated by the curb and waiting for Naruto's taxi, Kankuro gave Naruto four packs of chocolate as well as three syringes filled with a translucent, blue liquid, all in a plastic bag, like he'd just bought it at Walmart.

"The chocolate is laced with anti-venom," Kankuro began, "and that's pure anti-venom in the syringes. If someone tries to attack you, stick it right here." Kankuro touched a spot on his own neck as a demonstration. Naruto recognized it as the special spot that Kiba so often rubbed to calm Gaara down. He faintly wondered if that was a special spot for all vampires. Sure, jabbing your thumb into the hinge of _anyone's_ jaw would be effective, but Naruto wondered if it had the same calming effect that it had on Gaara. He made a mental note to try it out on someone like Sasuke before Kankuro interrupted his train of thought. "Not that you _have_ to stick it there. If someone attacks you, just sticking it anywhere would be good. Use it sparingly though. It's kind of expensive. Use chocolate when you can." Naruto chuckled.

"It's like you expect me to get attacked everywhere I go," Naruto said jokingly. Kankuro's lack of amusement worried Naruto into thinking that, perhaps, he truly was in constant danger. After a moment, Kankuro responded seriously.

"You _do_ smell appetizing, and your reputation as Sasuke's pet isn't going to be much help if you're never seen with him. The sheer fear alone of touching what is Sasuke's will keep them at bay, but they'll get daring the less that Sasuke is seen actually protecting you. Then, someone will make the first move. After that, you're helpless," Kankuro said and Naruto raised a brow.

"How are humans even still alive?" Naruto asked and Kankuro snorted.

"You aren't just..." He paused and reworded his response. "You're different, Naruto. People want to get their hands on you for... reasons." Naruto watched Kankuro expectantly for a short moment, sure that Kankuro was getting at something really significant. He went on with something disappointing though, something that felt like a dodge to Naruto. He wasn't convinced that Kankuro had intended to say it at first. "People would like to get their hands on someone like you, someone who has been claimed by a child of such power as the Uchiha or Sundama. It would be the sweetest act of rebellion if they could get something important to someone important.

"Itachi, Sasuke, Gaara, Temari, and myself, we're all targeted just for being us. They think you're Sasuke's and, even if you're not, you _are_ also our friend. Getting to you would be getting to us." Kankuro paused for a moment and it looked a lot like he was picking and choosing his words wisely, leading Naruto to believe that the truth was being conveniently left out. When were people going to just start _telling_ him what the fuck was going on? "There are many who oppose VSAF and would like nothing more than to make that known by doing something like taking what is ours, something like you or even Kiba."

"That's all?" Naruto asked. "That's the only reason you worry about me? It's just because I'm your soft spot?" Naruto waited impatiently as Kankuro pondered what he should say. Why was everyone always pondering, pausing, calculating, and weighing their fucking words? Why didn't anyone just _say_ what they were _thinking_? When did the secrets stop? Naruto could see that there was something more, some information that Kankuro wasn't sure he should divulge, but Naruto didn't feel like being left out of the loop anymore. "What is it?" Naruto asked forcefully. Just then, the cab pulled up and Kankuro opened the door. Naruto could literally see the chances of Kankuro divulging drain away.

"Taxi's here," Kankuro said quietly and Naruto narrowed his eyes angrily.

"_What_ is it, Kankuro?" Naruto demanded. Kankuro gently pushed Naruto toward the vehicle's open door.

"That is another conversation for another day. You'll know in time; I promise. Until then, be vigilant and don't hesitate to call on me." Kankuro looked at Naruto very seriously through the open door for a moment as the blond slid reluctantly into the car. "Call my name, and I will come," Kankuro added quietly. "Wherever you are, I will hear and I will answer. I'm always listening, Naruto." Could Kankuro really hear him no matter what? He looked imploringly into Kankuro's dark eyes for a long moment, trying to decipher what he saw there, until Kankuro spoke again. "Understand?" he asked softly. Naruto nodded and Kankuro nodded back before closing the door. Naruto continued to watch him through the window as the cab started moving away. For a few short seconds, Kankuro remained. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone. All Naruto saw was the door to the lobby slowly swinging shut.

* * *

Naruto woke comfortably wrapped in his blankets. He yawned and stretched before lazily checking the time. Five in the afternoon. Had he really been that tired? He slowly removed himself from his cocoon, wondering if it was even worth getting out of bed at this hour. He picked up his phone to see three missed calls from Kiba though. Quickly, he dialed the number back and dressed. Kiba was worth anything. When Kiba answered, he explained that he was simply bored and seeking company. He offered for Naruto to go over and stay the night, admitting that it had been lonelier than he expected without Naruto there. Plus, they had the same 8 o'clock philosophy class the next morning, both having already gone to their orientation three days prior. Naruto agreed happily and, for once, drove his own car to Kiba's. He was glad to see Temari waiting for him in the guest parking lot, not that he honestly felt that he needed protection. However, Kankuro's ominous words _had_ sort of shaken him.

The rest of the day was spent with Kiba in much better spirits. Temari, Kankuro, and Naruto joined forces and actually got him to laugh. He was looking like the old Kiba in no time, and it was refreshing. They had gone to sleep rather early, even though Naruto wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to sleep after having slept so long into the day. He didn't want to sit alone in the suite though, so he retired to the guest bedroom anyway. He lay awake most of the night and when he was woken by Kiba early in the morning, he found that he didn't really feel all that tired anyway. They went to campus with Kankuro and Temari, Naruto practically bouncing like a bouncy ball with excitement the entire time, and made their way to their very first class as university students. Naruto was glad that he wasn't fawned over all day. He was able to make it through the entire day without Kankuro or Temari escorting him everywhere as he had expected they would do. They seemed to trust in his capability to protect himself for the most part, and he was thankful for that. He loved them, but he was glad for the breathing room.

Naruto had two classes with Kiba. Philosophy and Math. Naruto had been happy to make friends on the first day, too. He and Kiba together, especially with Kiba's renewed high spirits, seemed to be social magnets. They had met a pink-haired girl in their Philosophy class named Sakura and her blond friend, Ino. In Math, they came across a pair of friends, Shikamaru and Chouji. The foursome had decided to spend lunch together. Luckily, they had met Ino and Sakura again in the cafeteria as well. The group all hit it off pretty damn well, too. Sakura and Ino had even flagged over their friend Neji, his cousin Hinata, and his girlfriend TenTen. All of which fit in perfectly.

Naruto and Kiba had to part ways after lunch though. Naruto was pleased to see that he had Shikamaru, Hinata, and Neji in his Earth Science course though. The only thing that was wrong with his first day was the lack of Sasuke. He got over the lack of Gaara pretty fast, not even sure that Gaara hadn't just dropped out of university altogether, but he was really hoping to have at least one class with Sasuke. However, he did still have the next day's schedule, so all wasn't lost. Perhaps, he'd given up too soon though. When he walked into his Arts History class at the end of the day, he saw a very familiar head of Sasuke hair, and his heart stopped. Sasuke looked right at Naruto the very moment that Naruto's heart stuttered, too. His face was blank, but it quickly contorted into a displeased scowl before turning away again.

Naruto all but sprinted up the steps in the lecture hall to claim a seat beside Sasuke, all thoughts of Sasuke's obvious distaste for the blond forgotten. Naruto found himself simply wanting to sit next to Sasuke. He hadn't really factored in the fact that Sasuke literally _hated_ him when he devised his plan to "become close" with the Uchiha, but Sasuke allowed Naruto to stay in his seat. He _did_ ignore Naruto resolutely for the bulk of the time though. He didn't speak to Naruto, so Naruto eventually gave up his attempts at small talk. The excitement of being next to Sasuke never waned though. Sasuke likely picked up on it too because Naruto caught the tiny smirks that Sasuke sported when Naruto would get especially worked up, like when Sasuke would accidentally brush against him or look his way. Naruto was simply elated to be next to Sasuke. He vaguely recalled that there was a _reason_ for wanting to have a class with the guy, but he had long forgotten it.

After a very pleasing first day, Naruto got a text from Kiba telling him that he just wanted to be alone for a while. Naruto agreed, figuring that Kankuro and Temari would do a decent enough job at cheering up his friend, so he went home himself. As he made his way across campus back to his car, he remembered his objectives with Sasuke. That's right! He was supposed to be figuring Sasuke out, worming his way into the Uchiha's heart so that he would spill some of those secrets that Naruto wanted to hear. Well, he supposed that flattering Sasuke with his obvious desire to be next to the bastard was one way to worm into his heart.

It was deeper than just some curiosity too though, wasn't it? He did want to be close to Sasuke _just_ to be close, didn't he? Even if Sasuke never wanted to share his deep, dark secrets, Naruto still wanted to worm his way into that heart anyway, right? Right. This was more than some stupid plot to satiate his curiosity. He truly wanted to know Sasuke because he truly cared. There was just some weird magnetic force between the two, like some string drawing them together. There was just the minor snag of Sasuke detesting Naruto, but Naruto was confident that he could melt Sasuke's heart with the right amount of charm.

In high spirits, Naruto drove home, plotting all the while about how he could win Sasuke's heart? A thought struck Naruto, a very important thought indeed. First, he had to convince Sasuke to help Kiba and Gaara with their relationship issues. _That_ was the most important thing here. Sasuke's secrets could stay secrets and his heart could stay frozen, Naruto decided. Although, that did _not_ mean that his curiosity or determination had dissipated. It was just that Kiba was more important at the time. He was suffering without Gaara and Naruto needed Sasuke's help to fix everything. Plus, there was no guarantee that his attempts at gaining headway with Sasuke wouldn't backfire. If he pissed Sasuke off even more, then Sasuke would never agree to help. So that mission would just have to wait.

Naruto took to pondering about how and when he could most effectively request Sasuke's services on mission "Save Gaara and Kiba". Then, he took to pondering about what he could even _do_ to save Gaara and Kiba. He thought hard as he drove, and he had just decided on a final plan when he pulled into his designated parking spot at his apartment complex. It wasn't an elaborate plan. It was actually really, really simple. It was, more or less, just forcing Gaara and Kiba together and hoping that they got along. Okay, so it was kind of a terrible plan, but Naruto was proud of it, nonetheless, and he was still going to execute it. Pleased with himself, Naruto made himself a cup of ramen and watched TV for a bit to just relax. Soon, he was settling down for an early night, feeling rather excited about his classes the next day. He had English, History, and Art, and he was wondering if he'd see any of his new friends in those classes too.

His pleasant thoughts were quickly replaced by a stifling sadness though. He began to remember his father, Jiraiya, his farm. Sure, he had grown attached to this place too, but that didn't stop him from missing the country. He missed his old life. As he dwelt on the memory of his parents, whom he could never see again, his heart was overwhelmed with grief. Why was it hurting so much right now? He simply couldn't dispel the ache in his chest though, so he sobbed deeply into his pillow instead. If he couldn't be rid of it, then he'd just have to get it out of his system. If he thought about it, he never really did mourn his father. He just pushed it to the back of his mind, choosing to focus on less painful things—not that there was an abundance of those types of things, seeing as he had lost his home to strangers and his godfather to travels around the same time as he lost his father.

He heard a rustle in his living room, a sound nearly drowned out by his sobs. He choked back the tears and slowly crept to his bedroom doorway. He heard another rustle but when he peered out of the doorway, there was nothing. He let it go, convincing himself that it was just paranoia and nothing more. It did serve as a decent distraction though, for the grief had subsided significantly. He thought that, perhaps, now he would be able to sleep. He curled back up in bed and took a few deep, calming breaths. He was slowly drifting off to sleep when he heard another rustle in his living room. He paid it no mind, thinking it was just his imagination again.

Before he knew it though, something was on top of him. He was flipped over onto his stomach, his face buried in his pillow, with a weight settling on his lower back. His hands were trapped under his chest and both of his shoulders were being pushed firmly into the bed, preventing him from struggling too much. In the madness of panic, he very vaguely remembered Kankuro's promise for protection. He didn't think about how _insane_ it seemed; he just cried out. "KANKURO!" he screamed desperately into the pillow, hoping that, by some miracle, Kankuro would actually hear him.

He cried out again, this time in pain, as something sharp slashed across his back. His attacker pushed his shoulders even further into the mattress and Naruto became overtly aware of just how little he could breathe. He felt hot blood oozing from the wound and whimpered when he felt lips on the gash. His attacker groaned appreciatively and Naruto felt sick as the intruder's hard on poked into his back. It was painfully unpleasant as his attacker slowly trailed his lips through the blood and up to the base of Naruto's neck. He paused, letting his hot breath rest there. Then, the fear of being raped washed over Naruto, a thought that was thrown to the back of his mind when he felt sharp teeth poking lightly against his neck.

He wanted to fight, but the lack of oxygen was making him faint. He was suffocating _and_ he was going to be raped _and_ he was going to be bitten by a vampire _and_ he was probably going to turn into one too! His attacker grabbed a fistful of Naruto's hair and offered the blond a reprieve, forcing his head sideways so that he could breathe properly. Naruto's vision was swimming though, keeping him from seeing who it was, not that he was even worried about that at the moment. He was just glad that he could _breathe_ again. He weakly tried to fight, but that only caused his attacker to chuckle darkly.

"You won't get away," the person whispered and Naruto recognized it as a male's voice. It seemed familiar, but Naruto couldn't quite pin it. It sent unpleasant shivers down his spine and caused all of his nerves to seize. He felt frozen, immobile, and weak. "You're mine," the man added. Naruto tried to gulp down his dread, still panting heavily, but that only made him want to hurl.

"Kankuro," he whispered again in a pathetic plea for help.

He tried in vain to focus on his attacker, but his vision was still blurred to all hell. He felt those teeth prod at his neck again and he sucked in a sharp breath. He shut his eyes in horrified anticipation, but he felt, instead, the weight lift off of his back roughly. The force with which his attacker was removed caused the teeth to scrape deep gashes across his shoulder and Naruto screamed in pain. It was painful, but he was just thankful that it wasn't a bite, completely unaware that he had been injected with venom either way. He lay there for a few moments, coping with the pain. Then, he heard a deep, animalistic growl emanate from his living room, and he snapped into action.

His vision finally cleared enough to be useful again, and he jumped out of the bed. The movement sent a whole other wave of dizziness to his head though. He staggered quickly to the doorway of his bedroom, feeling his limbs get heavier with every step and his breath grow more labored. This was a new sensation that wasn't there before. It wasn't like being nearly suffocated. It was worse. He felt completely exhausted. He felt like he would _die_ if he closed his eyes though. To his dismay, his vision started swimming again, only much more drastically this time. He leaned heavily against his door frame, sucking in deep breaths. He felt unconsciousness weighing heavily on him. He heard a few loud noises and words being exchanged—things that he couldn't register properly—before he felt himself swept off of his feet and lain back down on his bed. He groaned weakly in pain as he was maneuvered to lie on his stomach.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me," his savior said. Naruto was feeling completely out of it, but he was awake enough to notice that the voice sounded... strange.

"Wh...?" Naruto began to ask in his confusion. This person had just saved him. Why was he apologizing?

Naruto understood, though, as soon as he felt teeth sink into the gash on his shoulder. He cried out in pain, but felt far too weak to truly protest. At first, the sickness and exhaustion multiplied exponentially, causing Naruto to think that he really, honest to god _was_ going to die. However, his savior sucked along the entire gash and Naruto could feel his strength returning quickly. His delirium was quickly lifting, and he rationalized that it had to be Kankuro. There was no one else that it could be. It definitely wasn't Gaara because, even in that haze, anyone would have been able to make out a head of flaming red hair.

He understood that Kankuro must have been removing venom and using a great deal of will power to do so. After many very long, very agonizing moments, Naruto heard Kankuro gasp desperately for air and watched as he staggered backwards across the room until he slammed into the wall. Then, he slowly crouched down and huddled into a ball. Naruto didn't feel the effects of the venom anymore, but he still felt tired and woozy. His eyes still couldn't focus properly. He watched Kankuro from the bed, hating how much he resembled Gaara in a bloodlust craze.

Even through the blur that was his vision, Kankuro looked different, but that would be expected, right? No one looks the same when they're blurry. The guy was tall, lean, and had dark hair. That was generally what Kankuro looked like. Naruto wanted to speak though, to be reassured. However, sleep was pulling at him and he just couldn't open his mouth. Before he knew it, he was engulfed by blackness.

* * *

**A/N:** Can anyone guess who attacked Naruto? If you get it right, I might write you a one-shot or something. I might not. Well, I will if you really want me to.  
**EDIT:** Forget that ^^ lolol I'm so bad at fake-outs. Everyone will guess it lolol I suck, whatevz xD Also, Naruto doesn't have a bedroom door :)


	9. Chapter 9: Delusions

**A/N:** There's a link to the layout for Sasuke's apartment at the bottom. Check it, yo.

* * *

**Chapter Nine: ****Delusions**

Naruto woke with a killer headache. He became overly aware of the throbbing pain that covered half of his back when he tried to stretch. The long gash that trailed from the middle of his back up to his right shoulder protested his movements harshly. When he tried to move _without_ agitating his wound, the parallel gashes across his left shoulder then began their own protest. He groaned unhappily, but fought the pain anyway. He had to get out of bed somehow. He gingerly made his way to the bathroom to see that Kankuro had dressed his wounds. He popped some pain pills and stashed a good amount in his bag before returning to his room to dress himself.

When he reentered his room, he stopped dead in his tracks. How had he _not_ seen that? There was blood all over his wall. He stared at it wide-eyed. It looked like someone had tried to clean it, but gave up pretty quickly. Naruto wondered whose blood it was. Was it his? Was it is his attacker's? Was it Kankuro's? Whose? He didn't really remember much from the previous night, not that he'd been able to really _see_ anything well enough in the first place, but he was sure that no one bled out all over his wall. He definitely didn't remember that. Naruto leaned in a bit closer but felt his body disapprove. He decided that he would have to make a stop at the hospital after classes and get a prescription for some _real_ pain killers. He would also have to get a hold of Kankuro too. He had questions, lots of questions.

Gingerly, he dressed himself. He decided to skip breakfast and sluggishly made his way to the university. The drive was absolutely miserable, since he couldn't sit back in his seat properly. Not to mention, every time he turned, his body flared up in pain. By the time he actually made it to the school, he had already decided to leave his car there and take the bus home or something. Driving was no longer an option. He was also very wary of his movements. He really didn't want to alert his friends of his wounds by making them bleed through his shirt, as if the way that he was walking wasn't alert enough in itself.

He just couldn't bring himself to feel excited about his new classes on account of the fact that he felt down-right miserable. Had it not been for Kankuro, he may have already been a vampire himself or even _dead_. He shuddered, but then wondered if that would be so bad. Perhaps, Sasuke would like him a little bit better that way. As a vampire, he meant, not dead. Though, Sasuke might like him dead too. Naruto was as pleased as he could be to see that he shared his English class with some familiar faces from yesterday. He was not pleased, however, to discover that Sakura was the motherly type _and_ she was going to be a doctor. Really? Well, fuck.

She noticed his awkward movements immediately and started asking questions. Naruto had to be very cunning to keep up. In the end, she wasn't satisfied and demanded that he let her check him out at lunch, but Naruto was spared any further arguing when the professor started class. Sakura and Ino did trail him all the way to his next class but he didn't protest, hoping that it would make her feel better. If letting her watch him like an overprotective dog would satisfy her for the moment—as if she would be able to protect him from whatever she thought had hurt him anyway—Naruto would just let it go, because he definitely wasn't going to tell her the truth and he hadn't come up with a real excuse yet. He'd have to try to avoid her at lunch too.

He was more pleased than he thought possible in his state of health to see that Sasuke was in his History class. Sasuke watched Naruto expectantly for the first few minutes, but when Naruto didn't offer him whatever it was that he wanted, he chose to look positively aghast instead. He allowed Naruto to stay beside him, but he kept his nose scrunched up, as if he was smelling an especially displeasing scent. He often looked over at Naruto and snorted unhappily. Naruto wasn't sure what had brought on such a strong reaction, but it was annoying. Sasuke had been reasonably fine the previous day and now he was suddenly disgusted with Naruto, despite the fact that he was _just_ staring at Naruto like a kid looking at a man made of candy. Why was he acting so bipolar? Naruto ignored Sasuke though, choosing to focus on the task of not passing out instead.

After class, Sasuke zoomed away impossibly fast and Naruto fought the urge to throw something heavy at the back of his head. As he was passing by on his way to lunch though, Naruto caught Sasuke throwing up behind a building. Sasuke must have smelt him or something because he looked up at Naruto the very moment that Naruto had decided to approach him, and then he disappeared immediately. Naruto was, again, quite annoyed, but he chose to ignore that too. He didn't really have the energy to worry about Sasuke's odd behavior. It wasn't like he could really say that Sasuke's behavior was odd anyway. For all he knew, bipolar was Sasuke's norm. What was he really expecting, that Sasuke pick up on Naruto's strange fascination for him and return the feelings promptly?

After he had food in him, Naruto felt a lot better though. He felt well enough to actually be excited for Art class. It was real Art, the kind that you _do_ _art_ in and Naruto was stoked for that. He wasn't sure how he felt about sharing classes with Sasuke anymore, but there Sasuke was anyway, sitting as close to the back of the class as possible and right beside a window. Naruto chose to avoid him this time. He felt like today was just a bad day to want to be close to Sasuke. It seemed like lingering around him was making Sasuke even _less_ fond of Naruto and Naruto needed the opposite to be happening, or at least for Sasuke to keep up his earlier level of tolerance, if he wanted his plan for Kiba and Gaara to work out—not that his or Sasuke's presence was really going to effect the success of that mission, but Naruto was convinced that getting Sasuke to play along would do some good somehow, somewhere. Look, this wasn't Naruto's day to get all analytical or anything, okay? So just go with it.

Naruto also didn't feel all that inclined to endure Sasuke's dramatic reactions for another hour and a half, so that made staying away all the more appealing. Naruto decided somewhere in that hour and a half, though, that he would have to talk to Sasuke soon and convince him to tag along on the mission. Kiba and Naruto didn't share any classes that day. They still sat together at lunch though, and Kiba looked like he was back to being purely miserable again. Even all of their new friends shot Naruto worried, questioning glances that Naruto merely shrugged at, feigning ignorance. It was already trouble enough to keep Sakura from practically ripping his clothes off in search of his wounds. He simply couldn't cover up Kiba's obvious depression too. Something needed to be done. It was imperative that Naruto spring his plan into action soon, and that meant talking to Sasuke soon.

The rest of the week and weekend passed painfully slow... literally. Naruto's wounds seemed to be getting _more_ painful. He had gone to the hospital and been awarded Vicodin and antibacterial cream, but taking the Vicodin made him feel invincible enough to sleep on his back and sleeping on his back caused him to wake up in searing pain. You'd think that he'd have learned his lesson after night one, but he, somehow, managed to end up on his back somewhere in the night, whether he went to sleep that way or not. In short, time was passing miserably_,_ but at least Sakura had finally backed off. That was a relief. She was satisfied that Naruto could walk and sit almost normally again and that he wasn't wincing nearly as much as before. She still shot him wary glances, but they were easier to ignore than her worried, doctor-like babbling.

Naruto had tried to get a hold of Kankuro multiple times, but to no avail. He was conveniently gone when Naruto showed up at Kiba's, and Kiba's memory conveniently lapsed every time Naruto inquired about him. It was infuriating, to say the least. While Kiba was busy pretending to have short-term memory loss and Kankuro was busy deftly avoiding him, Naruto was busy being _confused_ _as fuck_. So that's how it was gonna be? It was just another secret that Naruto wasn't in on to add to the pile. It revolved around him_,_ for fuck's sake! Did he not have a right to know what had happened? Did Kankuro think it was _his_ secret to keep? Because it sure as hell wasn't! Naruto had a right to know who had attacked him and why. He had a right to know what had happened in his own home, like why there was _blood_ all over his wall, for example. Yet, here he was, as clueless as always.

Naruto decided to avoid Sasuke in all of his classes. For one thing, his shitty attitude only made Naruto's already shitty attitude even shittier. If Sasuke didn't want to be next to Naruto, why should Naruto force him to? Not to mention, Naruto was pretty sure that his best chances at being "close" to Sasuke didn't lie with forcing the guy to endure his presence unwillingly anyway. Sasuke would have to seek Naruto out himself, if he ever wanted to. Sasuke did _not_ seek Naruto out though. He didn't seem at all concerned with Naruto's decision to give him space. This, honestly, annoyed Naruto severely, but he made no declaration of that fact. Just because he seemed to have developed some very, _very_ strange crush on the bastard didn't mean that Sasuke was obligated to feel the same. Naruto already knew this. That didn't make it any less annoying though.

Naruto hadn't been faced with unrequited whatever this feeling for Sasuke was in his lifetime. He hadn't pursued many people at all, to be honest. When he did though, he was never turned down. People tended to like him, but Sasuke was doing just the opposite. Naruto didn't even know what he wanted from Sasuke. Yeah, he was trying to score, but score _what_? Did he really like Sasuke? Did he really, really _like_ Sasuke? Or was he just using that as an excuse to shrug off the guilt of prying into Sasuke's personal life? Questions. Questions. Questions. They were fucking annoying. Fuck questions. Fuck everything complicated. Just fuck. It was more important to help Kiba out anyway, and that was a fairly simple plan. He would need Sasuke happy for that to happen and if avoiding Sasuke made him happy enough to agree to the plan, then what the fuck ever.

It took some convincing, but Naruto eventually got Deidara to spill the beans about Sasuke's address. Naruto was surprised to find that Sasuke only lived down the block and around the corner from him. How had he never known? Naruto let his second week of classes ride out in peace too. His wounds were slightly better. They had stopped bleeding and causing him immeasurable pain. Not to mention, his attitude was improving, even if Kankuro was still "missing" and Kiba was still "ignorant". Naruto had stopped bothering Kiba about it though because Kiba was getting more and more antisocial by the hour. Naruto could see that Gaara was stressing him out more than ever and he didn't want to add to the load, even if he _did_ deserve answers. He had spent the weekend hanging out with his new friends in one big group, a group that Kiba was predictably absent from. Naruto decided that he could wait no longer then.

It was on Wednesday of the third week that Naruto chose to approach Sasuke. It was a day on which he only had one class with Sasuke and, fortunately, Sasuke was talking happily with a cute girl—not that Sasuke looking so smitten with someone else made Naruto particularly happy. Sasuke did look content though, and that gave Naruto much better odds of getting a green light on the plan, even if he had to endure this bimbo moving in on his territory—not that Naruto was saying that Sasuke was _his_ or anything because he clearly wasn't... not at all... even if Naruto didkind of feel that way. _In any case_, what happened next between the pair, Naruto had definitely not been prepared for.

* * *

Sasuke opened his mouth wide, lapping his tongue across tan skin as he prepared to sink his fangs into the supple flesh beneath his lips. The young blond let out an enthralled gasp. Then, an uninvited voice rang out into the room, halting all movement.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke snapped to attention, his eyes landing on the uninvited intruder. The territorial hiss that erupted from his throat was paired with a quieter, much less bestial one that just as effectively detailed his bed partner's disappointment. As he recognized the person standing at the foot of his bed, eyes wide with disbelief, Sasuke's muscles relaxed and his own eyes softened a tad—not that this particular intruder was welcomed at the moment, but Sasuke wasn't entirely opposed to their presence either. Had it been anyone else, Sasuke may have just ripped their head off. However, this wasn't just any intruder. Though he would never admit it out loud, this was, perhaps, the one person in the world that Sasuke would actually stop anything to indulge in, even when he was in the middle of a rather erotic scene with a rather attractive blond that he had been _dying_ to sink his teeth into for far too long.

"What are you doing?!" Naruto went on to exclaim.

Sasuke leaned his body away from the blond settled beneath him. He flickered his eyes between his hand, which lay on top of the woman's bra that still sheathed her breast, and Naruto's shocked orbs a few times to enhance the dramatic effect, wanting to make Naruto feel like a complete and total fool.

"I should think that's pretty obvious," Sasuke said, at last.

"Wh… Wh… Wh…" Naruto stammered, the two letters never finding their missing syllables and coming out as soft whooshing sounds.

"What, dobe?" Sasuke asked, sounding positively bored.

"Don't call me that," Naruto said agitatedly.

"Alright… _dobe_…" Sasuke jeered and Naruto's eyes narrowed with dislike for the pale boy, dislike that was quickly overshadowed by shock at what he was seeing again.

"I… You… What…" Naruto fell back to stammering.

"Did you come here just to blubber like an idiot, dobe? Because, in case you haven't noticed, you're interrupting a very private moment here," Sasuke interjected with a quirk of his brow.

"You were gonna bite her!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing a finger at the woman that he had seen Sasuke conversing happily with in class. She narrowed her eyes at Naruto and scoffed. Naruto was shocked that she didn't feel inclined to run and disappear. Then again, she may not have actually known that Sasuke was a vampire who was just about to _bite_ her and _suck her blood_. Just because Naruto knew didn't mean that everyone knew. No, she probably had no clue. Still, shouldn't she have _some_ sort of instinct to flee from the greedy hands of such a predator? Her obvious desire to stay only made Naruto's mission of rescuing her more pertinent.

"Yes, yes, yes," Sasuke drawled in that bored tone again. "Yet another very obvious point that everyone is already quite aware of."

"You were gonna bite her!" Naruto repeated loudly, as if the words would sink in any minute and then Sasuke would be suddenly regretful. Sasuke merely snorted with sarcastic laughter though.

"That _is_ what vampires do, dobe. They bite people," Sasuke said slowly, clearly meaning to antagonize the blond. Had Naruto not been struck with such a clever retort, he would have looked earnestly to the woman, expecting her to show understanding and begin the flee for her life. He also would have seen the absolute lack of change in her demeanor. She still had no intention of fleeing. She knew very well what Sasuke was and she was not afraid. If anything, she was pissed off that Naruto had interrupted their good time. However, Naruto was struck with the come back of a genius and none of that stuff mattered to him.

"No," Naruto said quickly, "that's what _leeches_ do." Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously and Naruto thought that he heard another reproachful hiss, but he didn't see how Sasuke could have made the sound, unless he had mastered the art of ventriloquism. "That's what you are," Naruto went on quickly, glad that something was getting to Sasuke and breaking him out of that cool visage. Perhaps, it would be enough to spare this girl some serious trouble. "You're leeching," Naruto added for good measure, hoping that it would instill some guilt in Sasuke. Sasuke only glared at Naruto, clenching and unclenching his jaw as he seethed. Naruto could tell that Sasuke was repeatedly retracting his unruly fangs, probably trying to drive the desire to bite from his mind. Finally, Sasuke's voice rang out crisp through the air.

"Rose," he said firmly but quietly, "I beg your pardon."

He didn't look at the woman when she huffed loudly, but Naruto did. Was he hearing correctly? Was that a _huff_? Like one of Kiba's _huffs_? It sure was. How could she still be disappointed when she had just been relieved from the impending doom of a vampire bite? After a moment of indignation, Rose crawled from the bed and put on her shirt, for that was the only article of her clothing that was missing. In a last attempt to seemingly drive Sasuke into jealousy and earn a spot back in his bed, the girl caressed Naruto's face gently and stared at him with hungry eyes.

"Well, can't I at least have a bite off of this one, Sasuke?" she asked in a sensual voice. "He's so cute." With those words, her upper lip revealed just the tips of her own dangerous fangs. Naruto felt like a fool. She was no unsuspecting victim. He saw Sasuke close his eyes in frustration before he snarled at her.

"No, Rose. Leave," he commanded.

She threw him a last dirty glance, but his eyes were still closed. Then, she marched off to the door, gliding faster than any normal person ought to move. Naruto watched her all the way. When she reached the door, she looked back at him ruefully before leaving. Naruto turned back to Sasuke.

"She's not human," Naruto said apologetically.

Naruto didn't really feel apologetic at all though. If anything, he felt triumphant. He was glad that Sasuke's bed was now empty and that Sasuke wasn't with that woman anymore. He attributed that to his weird crush on Sasuke, the crush he had been pretty effectively ignoring. He faintly wondered why he still had that weird crush on Sasuke. Was it not plain and obvious that it made _no sense at all_? The crush remained though, it seemed, and Naruto was left feeling a bit giddy as a direct result of Rose's departure. If Sasuke picked up on that giddiness though, then he didn't show it. He opened his eyes and pulled himself up in his bed so that he sat lazily with his back against the headboard, looking dispassionately at the blond before him.

"You have a bad habit of stating the obvious, dobe," Sasuke said dully.

"Don't call me that," Naruto demanded, anger flaring up momentarily.

"Whatever you say, dobe. Your wish is my command," Sasuke said menacingly. "What do you want?"

Naruto remembered again why he had come in the first place. He sat down at the edge of Sasuke's bed, glad that it was now him occupying it, and another round of giddiness surged through him. Naruto watched Sasuke's eyes follow every movement that he made as he moved. The attention made Naruto blush. He had kind of forgotten just how attractive Sasuke was up close like this, especially without a shirt. Having him watch Naruto so intently made Naruto feel extremely nervous, for it felt as if Sasuke could see right through Naruto and into his deepest desires. In truth, Naruto hadn't _forgotten_ how Sasuke made him feel. He had purposely pushed it from his mind. He didn't want to be attracted to Sasuke when his personality was so absolutely repelling. Naruto tried to flush the blush from his cheeks, but that only served to deepen it. Sasuke was definitely picking up on that too because his lips curved up into a tiny smirk of arrogance.

"I've come to ask you a favor," Naruto began very business-like, pausing for acknowledgement. Sasuke watched Naruto closely for a long moment, seemingly just for sport. Watching Naruto blush beneath Sasuke's gaze was amusing to Sasuke, so he dragged the silence out painfully before speaking.

"I'm curious," he said quietly, permitting Naruto to continue.

"Will you accompany me on an outing this weekend?" Naruto asked slowly. "Please," he added as a hurried afterthought, as if being polite would have any effect on Sasuke.

"A date?" Sasuke questioned immediately, almost sharply.

"I suppose," Naruto answered quietly.

Hearing Sasuke say the word 'date' in relation to Naruto himself made his blush deepen to no end. His heart beat a little faster and he was sure that Sasuke would pick it up. His lips trembled slightly and he saw Sasuke's eyes dart to the movement. His fingers twitched and, then, Sasuke's eyes were flying to take in that movement too. Then, Sasuke laughed a dark, goading laugh that was mocking Naruto on the spot, a laugh that did not mesh with his behavior at all. Naruto had actually thought that Sasuke was _appreciating_ him for a moment. The look in his eyes as he studied Naruto's movement a moment ago was _not_ critical. It was... for lack of a better word, ravenous. It did _not_ lead Naruto to believe that Sasuke would erupt into such offensive laughter, laughter that left Naruto feeling absolutely annoyed.

"No thanks," Sasuke said as his laughter ebbed, much to Naruto's dismay.

"It's to benefit your friends, actually," Naruto began to argue.

"In that case, no fucking way," Sasuke added with a distasteful edge to his voice. Naruto looked personally offended, but when it came to Kiba, it _felt_ personal.

"Your friends are in a rough patch and they could use our help. Their relationship is kind of suffering, Sasuke," Naruto said severely with the air of scolding a child.

"All the better," Sasuke said with a dismissive sneer.

"How can you say that?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I can say it because it's the truth," Sasuke said indifferently. "Their relationship is not meant to be."

"But it _is_ being and it's suffering too," Naruto added.

"And I don't care if it does," Sasuke retorted matter-of-factly. Naruto huffed in exasperation and disbelief. How could Sasuke say such things?! Sasuke could read Naruto easily, and he sighed heavily before continuing to explain himself. "Very few humans exist in my world, Naruto, and those that do either change or are claimed like Kiba. It seems to me that Gaara and I should have switched fathers. I, like Ryuu, do not believe in feeders. I won't treat them as cattle. I value human life a fair bit more than that." Sasuke's voice held a tone of disdain. His explanation was actually rather noble though, so Naruto found it hard to refute.

"But they're your friends," he said weakly, thinking himself that it was a feeble attempt and that Sasuke would think so too.

"And it's for that reason that I don't support them," Sasuke said plainly. "In this world, there are few fates for a feeder. They'll grow tired of being dined upon. If they don't grow tired, they'll be changed. If they aren't changed, they will die. It's as simple as that. Does any of that sound pleasant to you? Tired, monstrous, or dead?" Sasuke paused, but Naruto knew it wasn't to await an answer. The answer to that was obvious. The way Sasuke said it, it didn't sound like a very healthy relationship, Naruto had to admit.

"Believe it or not, I do have feelings and I do feel them for my friends," Sasuke went on. "Gaara is tortured by his mistakes. He took in Ryuu's teachings as much as I did. He sees that Kiba is suffering. I'm sorry that it took so many wasted years for them to understand, but I'm not sorry that it's happening now. It is as it should be." Naruto regarded Sasuke for a long moment before speaking, not even really aware of what he was saying or why he was saying it but certain that it was true and the right thing to say.

"I think you're just afraid," Naruto said. Sasuke looked aghast but said nothing. "I think that… well… Gaara said it himself. You need someone as light as Kiba too. Where you're dark, cold, and empty, Kiba is warm, lively, and bright. Kiba perfectly counteracts you, and maybe you're jealous that Gaara has that when you don't." Naruto's eyes were pensive as he spoke, as if all of this was news to even himself, even if he was the one saying it. Sasuke's eyes hardened significantly.

"I have had that bright light you speak of, and it did nothing for me," Sasuke said curtly.

"You don't want to lose Kiba," Naruto pressed on. Sasuke began to clench and unclench his jaw repeatedly again. "He told me about your relationship. I know you're brothers. He's always brought you so much joy, hasn't he? What you crave was always given to you through him, as small as the quantities were. It was always better than nothing, though, right? By association, you're uplifted by Kiba's spirit. You want to protect him because he means so much to you."

"Enough!" Sasuke said sharply. "You don't know what you're talking about. Kiba was never my light. Kiba was just another addition to the family, and he will be just another statistic in the books when he dies."

"Is that what you want?" Naruto asked. "Do you _want_ him to die?"

"_I'm_ the one fighting _against_ that, Naruto," Sasuke pointed out. "I'm the only one advocating against that fate, the fate that will, without a doubt, be brought on by Gaara, the guy who drinks human blood for _pleasure_." Naruto's gaped for a short moment. Well, that was a fair point. He did have Naruto there. Gaara was dangerous and there was no fighting that. In fact, Naruto wasn't sure where he was even going with that point, so he went off on another tangent that he hoped to have better luck with—not that he knew what he was saying with this point either but, hey, he was just gonna go with it.

"When you look at Kiba, do you see your mother?" Naruto asked daringly. Sasuke did not respond, but the way his body tensed was answer enough. "You do, don't you? That's why you hate feeders. It's because your own mother died as one." Sasuke's eyes glinted dangerously. Naruto had no clue what he was talking about. He had no clue just _who_ had actually taken Sasuke's light so many years ago. He had no idea just how little Sasuke's mother or even Kiba had to do with it, not that they _both_ didn't have something to do with it. Either way, Sasuke didn't want to hear Naruto prattle on about shit that he wasn't even qualified to speak of. At the same time though, he couldn't quite bring himself to interrupt. "You crave that connection, but you fear it more. You fear the chance of mishaps, slip ups, and deadly mistakes. More than that, though, you fear the love because if you were to embrace love, you'd be too close to loss. You don't think you can handle much more loss, do you?" Naruto asked. Perhaps, this would have _nothing_ to do with convincing Sasuke to go on the 'date', but Naruto wanted to follow up with it anyway.

"You've gone too far," Sasuke said stiffly, turning his head away. He had to admit it to himself though, Naruto _had_ gotten somewhere with that.

"Actually, I don't think that I've gone far enough," Naruto argued. "You're afraid, Sasuke, and so you watch your best friends with a mixture of envy and terror. You don't know what the fuck to do with yourself, so you just go on about abominations and the natural order of things. Maybe it's time you look at things from a different point of view. I'll bet your support would be enough to grant Gaara a change of heart." Naruto was starting to get excited. It was all tying together now. He was making his point. "I'll bet that your support would be the one thing that they needed to do it _right_. If you can just..."

"Shut up!" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto held his breath for a long moment, debating whether or not he should go on. Eventually, he sighed. He was aching to press on but decided better of it. Sasuke wasn't clenching his jaw any longer, so his fangs were likely bared and ready to attack. It'd be best not to antagonize him too much. He had only _just_ left his life as a leech. Who was to say he wouldn't bite Naruto right then?

Naruto had started that whole pitch with no direction. Yet, he had ended it with some weird, new understanding. Sasuke was just scared. That was all. That was why he couldn't support Kiba and Gaara, and his mother, certainly, had a lot to do with that. Well, after what had happened to her, it wouldn't be easy to support your stepbrother, whom you had allegedly been very close to at one point, in offering himself up to the same dangers. Sasuke was afraid that Kiba would become his mother and maybe even that _he_ himself would become his _father_. It was all so obvious to Naruto now. The name Ren popped up in his head and he wondered where she came in, whoever she was. That was better left to another day though. Naruto wasn't sure that Sasuke would endure much more of this.

Even as Naruto watched Sasuke's angry form, he felt closer to the boy. Naruto knew that his words were right. He could feel the longing within Sasuke that Sasuke tried so hard to suppress. He could see the way that the memory of Sasuke's mother pained him, along with other memories that Naruto may have dredged up and just not yet been exposed to. He could see how there was so much more left yet to unsheathe, and he was eager to uncover it all, even if that was a selfish desire. He was eager to immerse Sasuke in his own stifling pain just so that Naruto could soothe it, just so that Sasuke would be forced to allow the blond to love him. Is that what Naruto wanted, to love Sasuke? He didn't know. He _did_, however, know that he wanted to reach out and touch Sasuke, to comfort him. Before he knew it was even moving, his hand found its way to the pale skin of Sasuke's bare torso.

Sasuke's eyes snapped furiously to the contact and Naruto's followed. He swallowed hard, and then regretted it immediately. He had learned that such actions during tense times near a vampire were reckless, only serving to further tempt them to pounce. Naruto removed his hand very slowly from its position and tried very hard to keep from meeting Sasuke's eyes. Had he, though, he would have seen a lack of rage and a surplus of burning desire. Naruto was careful to avoid those eyes though, lest they be a threatening shade of crimson. He wondered what the fuck he was thinking. How had he gotten so carried away that he thought it a decent idea to _touch_ Sasuke like that? It was stupid.

"I just want you to come with me on Saturday," Naruto said quietly, looking intently at the desk beside Sasuke's bed.

When he could no longer feel Sasuke's eyes on him, Naruto chanced a glance at his face. Sasuke was staring at his phone on the desk. Naruto reached for it impulsively, bringing it back to his body with a jerk when Sasuke hissed loudly at him. Naruto realized immediately, though, that Sasuke's lips revealed a lack of fangs. It was an empty hiss. Sasuke's eyes lacked any and every shade of red. A tiny smile played at Naruto's lips. Sasuke was just acting.

"You know," Naruto began softly, "when I saw Gaara first bite Kiba, I thought that I was looking at a monster, but I was wrong. I was just looking at Gaara. I was looking at a lost bit of humanity struggling to find its way back to the rest of us. When I look at you, I see that too." Sasuke snorted dismissively and averted his eyes again. "I think maybe you're just a guy who can't stop seeing a monster, so he's forgotten that he's a bit of a human too. You all are."

"We are far from human," Sasuke said almost sadly.

"But you can feel, can't you? You can taste," Naruto argued. "You can die. You can perish. You can suffer. You can cry. That all sounds rather human-like to me."

"The day that you stoop to taking a life simply to quench your thirst is the day that your humanity is lost. I don't expect you to understand that though," Sasuke retorted.

"This is my number," Naruto answered after a short pause as he keyed his number into Sasuke's contacts. "If you think you've found a bit of that humanity you claim to be lacking lingering long enough to endure a night out on the town with your friends, then let me know." Naruto tossed the phone into Sasuke's lap and stood. "While you're at it, you should have a nice thought or two about your mom." Sasuke looked apprehensively toward Naruto, as if he was dreading the look he was sure to be in Naruto's eyes. Before Sasuke could see it though, Naruto was already descending the steps from his room and walking to the door. "And think about how much she must have loved your father to live such a painful life too. She must have been brave."

"Or else simply delusional," Sasuke added quickly. Naruto paused at the door. He turned back to see Sasuke leaning across his dresser and over the banister to regard Naruto eagerly. The look in his eyes was... cute. It was the look that a child gets when promised a play date with their best friend.

"You think?" Naruto asked and Sasuke nodded, leaning back to appear more casual. "Eh," Naruto said with a shrug of the shoulders, "I say we're all a bit delusional. Look at us, for example. You're convinced that you're a monster and I'm convinced that you'll accompany me out on a date. The question isn't how delusional you are though. That much is quite obvious. The question isn't even how delusional _I_ am. Although, I think I'll be on par with your mother. The real question is how delusional you really think that _she_ was."

"Well," Sasuke said, raising an interested brow, for Naruto had grown so suddenly wise and it was intriguing, "I think that she was downright delirious."

"Maybe," Naruto said, shrugging, "or maybe not."

"It's _my_ opinion, isn't it?" Sasuke pointed out flatly.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed.

"So why are you questioning it? How can you tell me that what I think is wrong?" Sasuke asked. "Unless you're just calling me a liar."

"I don't think you're a liar," Naruto assured and Sasuke smirked in what seemed to be triumph. Naruto answered, with a triumphant smirk of his own, "You're just delusional."

Naruto's smirk turn into a wide grin as he opened the door. He glanced back at Sasuke to see, not a mere smirk, but a full-blown _smile_ settled across his lips. Naruto chuckled with pleasure as that smile disappeared behind the closing door. He sighed. That was a success, whether Sasuke chose to come on the double date or not. If anything, Naruto had wormed his way, at least, a centimeter into that tightly sealed heart. He was sure of it now, Sasuke would seek him. He just needed time.

* * *

**A/N:** Did I effectively trick you into thinking that it was Naruto that Sasuke was gonna bite? I really wanted to, but I suck at fake-outs like that. Anyway, here's the link for Sasuke's apartment :) It's actually the same layout that I'm using in another fic. I just like it, so I might reuse it a lot whenever Sasuke isn't filthy rich. Whatevz.

i169 **DOT **photobucket** DOT **com/albums/u226/RainbowsWorthRain/Fic-Related/Sasukesapt **DOT **png


	10. Chapter 10: Wait, What?

**Chapter Ten: Wait, What?**

Saturday couldn't arrive fast enough. Naruto was sick of Kiba's miserable attitude. Their friends were literally staging an intervention because they were so concerned about his behavior, or lack thereof actually. Kiba had pretty much been empty and emotionless, like a drone. Naruto had only put their friends' plan off by assuring them that he would take care of it himself. He swore that he'd had a plan to make Kiba feel better. All he needed was the weekend. Then, things would change. Naruto knew for a fact that he was walking a dangerous line though. Either the date with Gaara would take care of Kiba's depressed attitude, or it would do the exact opposite and knock him even further down.

Naruto had planned for them all to go see a play by the theater department on campus. Naruto knew that Kiba was a fan of theater and that Gaara wasn't opposed, only because Kiba had dragged him along to so many shows that he had just grown accustomed to it. As for Sasuke, Naruto had no clue at all what the bastard liked. The night wasn't about Sasuke though, so his opinion didn't really matter. Hell, it was such a shock that he even showed up in the first place that Naruto had no time to worry about accommodating him anyway. Fortunately, they had all made it through the show without any real hiccups. Naruto supposed he owed that good fortune to the fact that there wasn't much time for awkwardness with something so demanding of one's attention.

There was even a short while directly after the play when everything seemed to be back as it used to be, the only exception being that Sasuke didn't absolutely hate Naruto. In fact, Sasuke chose to actually smile, and _dear god_ what a beautiful smile it was. In any case, Gaara had commented on how bad he thought that the play was. Kiba, much to Naruto's surprise, hastily agreed with Gaara, like he didn't love theater as much as everyone knew he did. He claimed that he had only sat through it because its atrocity was sickeningly intriguing. Of course, anyone with half a brain could tell that Kiba's excuse was bullshit. He really just wanted to be next to Gaara, and everyone knew it. He literally mustn't have taken his eyes off of the redhead for more than a minute at a time during the entire show.

They continued to make snide remarks about the play anyway as the foursome made their leisurely way down the block for something to eat, as was agreed upon at the start of the evening. Naruto had forced everyone to comply to, _at least_, that much. Sasuke smiled through the entire walk, despite how opposed he was to the whole idea in the first place. He actually seemed to be enjoying himself. Their dinner had gotten along well enough too. Small chit-chat kept them just barely afloat. It did, inevitably, die out completely though. Naruto was under the impression that a few casual drinks would make a difference in the outcome of the, so far, useless evening, as if a few beers would magically bring Kiba and Gaara back together. His three companions had only agreed to go for drinks at Tony's because no one could find it within themselves to say no to Naruto's eager face, not that Kiba had wanted to. He was perfectly fine with more time in Gaara's company, no matter how awkward it might turn out to be. Gaara, however, didn't want to go at all. Naruto was still his friend on some level though, and it was hard to say no when the blond used those blue orbs to his advantage.

Sasuke didn't have much of a reason to stay at all. It wouldn't have been so hard for him to turn Naruto down. Sasuke could simply leave just because he wanted to. Then again, it wouldn't have been so hard for him to turn Naruto down a couple of days ago in his apartment either. Yet, he had still shown up, hadn't he? He convinced himself that it wasn't _Naruto_ that had caused him to show up. It was the_ conversation with Naruto_ that had convinced him to join in on the date. It was that interesting exchange that they had shared in his apartment a couple days prior. Naruto had been intriguing, and that peaked Sasuke's interest. He had come on the date only because he had decided to humor Naruto's taunt that he was simply delusional. If he was delusional, then his desire to _avoid_ the situation meant that he should actually _attend_. Why Sasuke let such twisted logic influence him, he couldn't tell you. He was there, however, and inexplicably unwilling to walk away from his three friends, if he could even call them that.

It had nothing to do with Naruto or his eyes though, even if they were big, blue, pleading pools of beauty. No! Naruto's beautiful eyes held absolutely no power over Sasuke, none at all. Just like they had held no power over him a few nights ago in his apartment. Sasuke came because he _wanted_ to come, not because Naruto had asked him to. Just like he was going to go to Tony's because he _wanted_ to go to Tony's. It was his decision to explore his alleged "delusional" self. That was all, and so the foursome found themselves walking through the familiar corridor that lead to Itachi's bar.

Tony's was relatively dead, much to Naruto's relief. Had any ballsy vamps picked up on the tension between the foursome, they may have been compelled to have a go at Naruto or Kiba. With Gaara looking so uninterested in being there, let alone what happened to his human companions, it could have been dangerous to sit in the middle of a crowded vamp bar. Sasuke was no help either, for he had, apparently, gotten very drunk very quick. He had announced that he needed to use the restroom a half an hour earlier and had since been gone, so the trio sat quietly at their table with Kiba glancing periodically to Gaara, Gaara glaring pointedly at his beer bottle, and Naruto shooting relentless stares between the two. All the while, Naruto obsessed over Sasuke's prolonged absence.

It wasn't very late, but people were slowly leaving the bar. Naruto mused that, perhaps, everyone was picking up on the tense air at his table and that, rather than an open invitation for a free meal, they were just a buzz kill. Everyone seemed content to leave them the hell alone. Naruto heaved the heaviest, most relieved sigh that he had ever heaved in his entire life when he saw Sasuke returning to the table. Kiba couldn't even tear his attention from Gaara long enough to notice, but Gaara didn't look particularly glad to see Sasuke return. Naruto, on the other hand, was positively ecstatic. At least Sasuke's drunken state would give them something else to focus on. The tension in the air between them was so stiflingly palpable that it was almost painful.

Sasuke stumbled quite precariously toward the trio, hissing violently at a young woman when she tried to catch him and help him regain his balance. Despite his clear drunkenness, Sasuke was still extremely agile. Every misjudged step was quickly recovered. Every stagger that threatened to topple him was flawlessly avoided by him catching on to something and righting himself gracefully. Nonetheless, Naruto tensed up in anxiety with every sway. Naruto wasn't sure why he was so concerned about Sasuke falling and possibly hurting himself. For one, Sasuke was the epitome of poise, even when drunk, apparently. Secondly, Sasuke was kind of a total dick, and Naruto was positive that his strange crush should have been thoroughly crushed by now.

When Naruto went to Sasuke's apartment to seek his help on this date, he hadn't felt even an inkling of romantic feelings for the asshole... or any good feeling at all, really. That was definitely thanks to Sasuke's impossibly worsening attitude. Ever since those first couple days of classes, Sasuke had been even more of a fuck than Naruto had ever thought possible. However, a familiar magnetic pull popped up again that very same evening at the bastard's place during their "delusions conversation", despite Naruto's better judgement. It was tiny, just like before. It only ever made its presence known when Sasuke was close.

It hadn't been enough to compel Naruto to reclaim a seat beside Sasuke in any of their shared classes. It was enough, however, to make him sit closer and stare longer. It was enough to make him feel rather uncomfortable, because he didn't want to feel drawn to the prick. There Naruto was anyway though, feeling, yet again, drawn to Sasuke. He wouldn't exactly call it a liking, because he didn't really _like_ Sasuke at all. It was just some sort of force forbidding him to stray too far. It was like some kind of gravity convincing Naruto that it felt right to orbit the son of a bitch. Honestly, as much as it disturbed him, Naruto had to remind himself more than once already that it wasn't _his_ date. It was Kiba and Gaara's. He really had to do something about his googly eyes. They kept seeking some kind of sensitivity in Sasuke that Naruto wasn't even sure actually existed.

When Sasuke finally reached the table, it was with the biggest grin plastered across his face and not without Itachi's disapproving glares at the back of his head. Naruto wondered about why Itachi seemed to disapprove so much of Sasuke drinking. Itachi did own a bar. Would he really be that hypocritical? Naruto also wondered about how Sasuke could get so drunk so easily. Sasuke hadn't drunk that much. It would have been enough to give Naruto a really decent buzz, but Naruto didn't think that alcohol could affect vampires in the same way as humans or at least not as easily. Yet, Sasuke was acting so goddamn euphoric, like he just couldn't be happier. Maybe that was it. Maybe Sasuke really was just happy and that magnified his buzz to such an effect. Maybe it was...

Sasuke sighed heavily, smiling dumbly at everyone at the table in turns and instantly commanding Naruto's attention again. That beautiful smile. It was like a giant spotlight to Naruto. It was impossible not to look when it was flashed. The only people who were still in the bar by that point were a few odd vamps along with Temari and Deidara. Deidara was sitting up at the bar, keeping Itachi company as the latter cleaned. Temari sat solo on stage, singing girly songs that everyone tried to ignore. She appeared to be pretty drunk herself.

Gaara finally gave in to his curiosity and asked Sasuke, "What are you grinning about?" Although, he already had a good idea of why Sasuke looked so damn happy.

"I love this song!" Sasuke exclaimed, only slightly slurring his words. Kiba suppressed a laugh, and Naruto stared on in amazed amusement. Sasuke had, somehow, gotten even drunker since his leave. He had to be commended on his speech though. The fact that he was still speaking so coherently was amazing to Naruto. "Maze me wanna dance," Sasuke added. His lids slid dangerously low and his body swayed precariously on his stool to the beat.

Naruto found it impossible to not be entranced by the man before him. The way Sasuke's half-lidded eyes pierced their target, they way his body swayed like a perfectly organized orchestra, the way his tongue rolled with every lyric he sang, the way he just simply existed just then while looking so goddamn sexy, it all had to be a fucking sin. How could anyone ever focus on anything other than this beautiful creature? When Naruto felt a little too much blood rushing to his nether regions, he turned away quickly and tried to suppress a blush. He tried, in vain, to focus on something else. It took a few agonizingly long moments for him to come up with a distracting topic. When he did, though, he jumped at the chance to pursue it. He took this time as an opportunity to edge a private word in with Kiba, as Sasuke was distracted with singing along to Temari's song—in a very sexy manner, of course—and Gaara was busy staring daggers at the former.

"Kiba?" Naruto whispered quietly, leaning in toward his friend. Kiba responded by leaning back toward Naruto. "Iwannaearbouren," Naruto said quickly, deciding that it was best to get it out in a rush.

"I didn't catch any of that," Kiba replied with an amused chuckle.

Naruto cleared his throat quietly. "I wanna hear about Ren," he repeated a bit slower and more cautiously.

"What?!" Kiba snapped, glancing over nervously to see if Sasuke had heard. "I thought I told you—"

"I know," Naruto whined, "but I'm so curious."

"You should ask Sasuke about it, not me," Kiba said firmly, turning very serious eyes back to his friend. "It's his story to tell, Naruto, and no one else's."

"Just give me a couple things to get started on," Naruto pleaded. "If I have somewhere to start, maybe it'll pressure him into elaborating." Naruto instantly grimaced at his choice of words. Pressure? He didn't want to pressure Sasuke. He would never want to _pressure_ Sasuke. If he was to share something so personal with Sasuke, he wanted it to be voluntary. Well, that, of course, only reinforced Kiba's demand for Naruto to simply ask Sasuke. Naruto felt the need to defend himself and justify his actions, in hopes that it would make himself feel less guilty.

"I'm curious though!" Naruto began to explain, more for his own benefit than for Kiba's. "If you told me just a few things, then I could use that to gently _nudge_ Sasuke to talk. Yeah, that's all." Naruto nodded certainly. "Gentle, _very gentle,_ nudging. No pressure at all. You just have to give me some sort of leverage." Naruto grimaced again. The word "leverage" sounded so horrible. He didn't want to sound forceful. Again, it was supposed to be voluntary. Naruto couldn't just _ask_ Sasuke to talk to him though. Sasuke sort of hated him! Why couldn't Kiba understand that?

"I don't think I _can_ talk to him," Naruto admitted quietly. He spared a glance at Sasuke, who was at the peak of a rather precarious sway. Gravity threatened to knock him off his stool. "Whoa there, buddy!" Naruto exclaimed, snapping forward and catching Sasuke by the arm to right him again. Sasuke flashed a satisfied smile that everyone but Gaara completely missed. "Don't want you to topple over there, do we?" Naruto added lightly with a grin. He couldn't help how warm it made him feel to know that, perhaps, Sasuke needed his help, even if it was in such an insignificant way as this.

Gaara was not fooled by the act though. Sasuke's total number of beers would never get him to _any_ level of drunk. Not only did Sasuke have a high tolerance for alcohol, but vampires weren't so easily affected by it. It often took a long time to kick in because it always took its time to dull their thirst before it ever even started going to their heads like that. Sasuke, of course, _could_ have been drunk. If he was though, it was definitely not to that degree. If he was drunk on anything, it wasn't alcohol either. Gaara was sure that he should have smelled blood on Sasuke if he had gone off and fed though. Of course, it didn't have to be _blood_ that was affecting Sasuke. Hell, for all Gaara knew, Sasuke wasn't affected by anything at all. He could have been entirely sober. Sasuke was sneaky, but not sneaky enough. Gaara may have been confused by Sasuke's act but, judging by his glares, Itachi wasn't fooled at all. That alone was enough to fuel Gaara's suspicions. None of that seemed to bother Sasuke though, because he wasn't afraid to spare a few arrogant smirks for Gaara.

Naruto and Kiba may have been none the wiser, but Gaara could see a scheme gleaning in Sasuke's eyes. His glare intensified as he tried to tap into Sasuke's emotions. He was met with an iron wall though. Sasuke was, after all, the king of guarded emotions. It wasn't that he never allowed himself to feel anything. He truly didn't mind allowing other vampires to have access to his feelings. It was just the vulnerable ones that he minded, and those were the ones that no one ever found because those were the ones that Sasuke kept a tight grip on. He made no effort to stifle any anger, displeasure, or smugness. That was all fine to share. If anything, purposely projecting those types of emotions intensely enough so that other vampires would pick up on them bluntly often benefited him in the end.

However, he had absolutely no problem shutting down completely, and often times he would. Wiping himself completely blank and becoming devoid of any emotion whatsoever was easy for Sasuke. It was as if his humanity had a switch, and it was off 70 percent of the time. The remaining 30 percent was spent feeling emotions that no one close to him, like Gaara or Itachi, particularly cared to pick up on. They were often searching for something to prove that Sasuke was still somewhat who he had used to be before he adopted such a hardened shell of himself. At this particular moment though, Gaara met an impenetrable defense. All he got was an aura of arrogance, and it was infuriating.

"The thing is," Naruto went on, resuming his quiet conversation with Kiba but still keeping a wary, and slightly admiring, eye on Sasuke, "I don't think he'll ever really talk to me about anything. I wish he would. I really, really do—" a tiny grimace surfaced, "—but I don't think that how I feel really matters to him... at all." Naruto looked back to Kiba with saddened eyes. "It was trouble enough getting him out tonight, and I spent that whole conversation pretty much talking to myself. He hates me," Naruto said quietly, down-casting his eyes and feeling an even more prominent grimace claim his composure, "no matter how hard I try to change that."

Kiba couldn't help but smirk at Naruto. There was something much deeper and much more honest than curiosity burning inside his blond friend. If Kiba dared to say so himself, Naruto liked Sasuke. Naruto didn't want facts about Sasuke. Naruto wanted a bond. Kiba knew, however, that such a bond would be a fruitless journey should Naruto be so hasty.

"I don't think it's a good idea to do this behind his back," Kiba said softly, hoping that the part of Naruto that ached for a _true_ connection to Sasuke would push this ludicrous idea away. "I think it's better to let him get to it in his own time."

"He's drunk," Naruto said, waving a dismissive hand. "He hasn't got a clue what's going on. He might be more than willing to spill his guts."

Kiba raised an uncertain brow. Naruto must have been out of his mind. A drunk vampire was no less a vampire, especially when angered. Yeah, Sasuke might have been more than willing to spill his guts... or he might have been more than willing to spill _their_ guts.

"But, Naruto," Kiba began, "I really think that, if you just have some patience, he'll talk to you. He'll trust you, if you give it time," he assured.

"But I haven't got patience, Kiba," Naruto whined hurriedly, grabbing Sasuke's arm to keep him from falling backward off the stool again. He was still singing loudly—so loudly, in fact, that Temari kept a continuous thumbs up raised to him, glad that someone was appreciating her singing. "I've been thrust into this world where everything is so different, and I'm just looking for some stability. I need to know some truth, something solid. I need to understand, Kiba," Naruto said urgently.

Kiba sighed, feeling bad for Naruto. "Well," he began slowly, "if anyone can get it out of him, it's me."

"Exactly!" Naruto agreed hopefully.

Kiba warily entertained the idea as he surveyed Naruto. Maybe Sasuke _was_ drunk enough to comply. Then again, maybe he wasn't. If he wasn't, then he would be angry. He would never admit it—and maybe he wouldn't even let himself feel it—but he would be hurt too.

"If he doesn't play along nicely, he really _will_ hate you," Kiba warned. "I don't think you understand just how touchy this subject is. I can't guarantee that he won't rip both of our heads off."

"He's smashed," Naruto pointed out, though that much was obvious, "and alcohol takes the edge off, doesn't it?"

"It does," Kiba agreed. "That, hopefully, will keep him from wanting to rip our throats out."

"And, if not, Gaara will be able to protect our throats," Naruto added.

"Don't count on it," Gaara denied in a low voice. Both Naruto and Kiba startled at his interjection, feeling unnerved that he had overheard them but not truly surprised.

"It'll be fine," Naruto assured Kiba, though blindly. He had no idea how fine it would or would not be, but if saying such things would convince Kiba to play along, then Naruto didn't care. He'd say them.

"If you insist," Kiba said slowly, hoping very dearly that his blond friend would abandon the traitorous attempt. He was unfortunate though.

"I insist!" Naruto reassured, and his eyes lit up.

Kiba huffed quietly before sitting up straight again. He did not want to do it, not at all. He had a very bad feeling, but he figured that he would, at least, test the water out. "Sasuke?" he said warily to earn the man's attention.

Sasuke hiccuped loudly. "Wazzzup?" he answered happily.

"Definitely wasted," Kiba pointed out solemnly, dreading his attempt to betray Sasuke's trust, assuming he had ever truly had it to begin with.

"All the better," Naruto added quietly, obviously hoping that only Kiba would hear. He, of course, underestimated the senses of vampires, but neither one at the table made any indication that they had heard.

Sasuke continued to sway drunkenly, though now in silence, as he awaited Kiba's response. After a moment, he chuckled lightly, as if just then interpreting Kiba's words. "M'not as drunk as you think I am," he said, still swaying dramatically and waggling a finger in front of Kiba's face.

"Really?" Kiba questioned, snorting softly. Naruto gave Kiba a significant glare, and Kiba sighed heavily. When he looked back to Sasuke, he stared deeply into his eyes, wanting to be able to see and identify every emotion that would bubble up within them. After a small pause, Kiba went on. "Let's talk about Ren," he suggested.

"Hmm. She was funny, wasn' she?" Sasuke answered. "She definitely learned that from you, Kiba, but she was witty too. That was from me. S'what I think."

Sasuke kept up the slight drawl in his voice, even if whatever drunken edge he may or may not have had dissipated the second that Kiba uttered the name. He didn't seem at all perturbed by the topic though. His answer had been rather cheerful. However, Kiba saw something else entirely. He saw a flash of something that passed so quickly that it was unidentifiable. He was sure, though, that Sasuke had listened in on his entire conversation with Naruto. Sasuke had tempered himself. He had prepared for the moment when Kiba would pounce. He had doctored his response. Had he not, he never would have reacted so calmly to the name. He had faked it, and he had faked it too well for Kiba to keep up.

Gaara, on the other hand, had recognized the emotion immediately. He had been studying Sasuke like a damn book though, trying to get into his head and pick out his little scheme, whatever it was. That tiny flash of emotion was all that Gaara had needed to force him into an about-face. It caused him to physically turn his face away in something akin to shame. He didn't feel right looking on any longer. In fact, he tried very hard to ignore Sasuke's aura completely. He didn't want to feel any other emotions that might slip into it.

"Who was she?" Naruto asked, perhaps a bit too eagerly.

The emotion flared up again in Sasuke's eyes, and the mere moment longer which it lingered was all that Kiba needed for him to suddenly understand it completely. Had he been closer to his stepbrother or had that emotion not seemed so foreign in Sasuke's eyes, Kiba would have, certainly, gotten it the first time, despite how fleeting it had been. It seemed all too obvious now though. It was a familiar feeling for Kiba. It was sadness. Sasuke had sported many emotions in the past few years: anger, dread, and even guilt. He hadn't managed sadness though. It was far too intimate of a feeling for anyone to catch it meandering beyond Sasuke's tight defenses. None of the vampires surrounding him could ever pick that particular emotion up, not even when looking specifically for it or when Sasuke was unsuspecting and seemingly unguarded. Sasuke, of course, was never unguarded. It seemed that he simply had stopped feeling it, along with all other vulnerable emotions like love, joy, or loneliness.

Now, however, it was back, and Kiba had seen it. Despite the strain on their relationship, Kiba still loved Sasuke like a brother. He did not want to see such a sadness in those eyes, as momentary as its stay was. Seeing it flash there only proved that Sasuke _could_ feel it, and that meant that he _was_ feeling it. He was feeling it all the time. He was just feeling it in silence. He felt it so discretely that no one could catch him red-handed. It wasn't gone. It was just masterfully hidden. That was painful knowledge to Kiba. Sasuke kept that emotion held so tightly against his chest that it must have been choking him. It must have been strangling him for years.

Kiba had already felt bad for urging Naruto to pester Sasuke about Ren, but now he felt a million times worse. Ren was still a tender subject for Sasuke. Perhaps, it wasn't that Sasuke was unwilling to speak of her. Maybe it was that he couldn't. A need to protect Sasuke from Naruto's curiosity overwhelmed Kiba. He wouldn't watch Sasuke suffer, even if it appeared that Sasuke was doing no such thing. Kiba knew now. Kiba had seen. Sasuke was in pain, and Naruto was doing nothing to alleviate that.

No one spoke. Kiba knew that Sasuke wouldn't answer such a question so easily, and he himself was too wrapped up in Sasuke to have the wits to respond right away. Furthermore, Gaara wouldn't feel proper answering a question that wasn't his to answer. Ren wasn't really in his jurisdiction, especially not with both Kiba and Sasuke present. Not only that, but Gaara couldn't even find his voice. It had been years since he'd seen something so human touch Sasuke's eyes. He knew that Sasuke wouldn't respond well to pity or sympathy, but Gaara could offer nothing else to his lifelong best friend. Despite the dysfunctional nature of their relationship, Gaara loved Sasuke like a brother, just like Kiba did. He had the decency to pretend that the situation _wasn't_ at hand. Ren was _not_ the topic. Sasuke was _not_ responding this way. Hell, Gaara would just pretend that he wasn't even there at all.

With everyone else so wrapped up in themselves, Naruto was the only one left capable of speaking, so speak he did. "Was she an old girlfriend or something?" he asked, pressing the topic further. Gaara snorted lightly. As if _Ren_ could be something so insignificant. However, no one answered again. Gaara seemed very interested in his beer bottle, Kiba couldn't tear his eyes from Sasuke, and Sasuke's mouth was pointedly glued shut. His eyes were as empty as they always were, but a deeper sense of vacancy seemed to fill them. "Anyone gonna talk to me? I'm still here, ya know?" Naruto teased.

The statement was far from malicious and meant only to garner attention light-heartedly, but it rubbed Kiba entirely the wrong way. "You are the most selfish son of a bitch I have ever known," Kiba growled. He aimed an angry glare at Naruto, who held his breath in return. Naruto was speechless. Did Kiba just call him selfish? What the hell had Naruto done? The question in his eyes must have been evident, because Kiba went on. "Do you even stop to think about what everyone _else_ is feeling? Or is it just all about you?"

The shock of such an ugly tone overtaking Kiba's typically pleasant voice wore off, and Naruto jumped to his own defense. "I just want to understand," he argued. "Where's the issue with that? I was thrown into a world that still makes very little sense to me. I didn't _ask_ for this."

"And nobody _asked_ you to stick your nose in," Kiba retorted.

"I didn't _stick_ my nose in! My nose was shoved in!" Naruto argued, his voice raising loud enough to catch attention.

"Then get the fuck out!" Kiba argued even louder, pointing to the door but referring to his life in general. It needed no explaining, for Naruto caught the severity of the words from the severity of the glare he was receiving. He could do nothing more complex than gape at his friend.

Itachi recognized the aura emanating from Kiba immediately, so he bustled the stragglers from his bar. It wasn't often that his typically laid back and carefree stepbrother got so riled up. At least this brother still accepted him, so he would be there to support Kiba no matter what. Temari only agreed to get off stage and shut the fuck up when she caught wind of the tension in both Kiba's and Naruto's auras. It took her less than a second to snap to suddenly very sober attention and flash from the stage to their table, instantly placing a reassuring hand on Kiba's shoulder. Deidara and Itachi moved over to listen in on the exchange themselves once the bar was completely empty.

"No one is begging you to stay where you so clearly don't want to be!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Really?!" Naruto shot back, sounding thoroughly offended. Kiba huffed, his eyes filling with a daring glare. "Get out?" Naruto repeated after another stunned pause.

"Yeah!" Kiba snapped hurtfully, knowing somewhere deep down that he didn't truly mean it. The temporary anger in his chest convinced him otherwise though.

"You should have just let Sai sink his teeth in me then," Naruto replied, "since I mean so fucking _little_ to you!"

Kiba snorted derisively. "Maybe I should have!" he retorted, standing up from his chair at the table and shrugging off Temari's comforting hand.

Naruto followed quickly in suit. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" he shouted. "I've been tolerant as fuck, Kiba, and now all the sudden, I'm the spawn of the devil?! I don't understand!"

Kiba rolled his eyes. "You and your desperate_ need to understand_!" Kiba spat scornfully, repeating the words as if they were disgusting.

"What the fuck is wrong with that?!" Naruto shouted back.

"What you need to do is understand your fucking self!" Kiba retorted. "Take one sec—"

"What I _need_ to do is understand _this_, to understand Sasuke!" Naruto interrupted in an extra loud, extra passionate tone. He didn't care to address how normally embarrassed he would have felt at such an admission. "What?! Is it so wrong of me to want to understand him?! Why can't I want to be close to him?!" No one seemed particularly surprised by Naruto's words. They were all vampires, so they had picked up that emotion countless times in Naruto. It was never all that hard to put two and two together.

"Maybe you can't!" Kiba shouted.

"Maybe I can!" Naruto argued. "If someone would just talk to—"

"Has it never dawned on you that, perhaps, those scars are just too great to reopen?!" Kiba cut in harshly. "Have you never cared to think that, perhaps, that name carries memories that nobody wants to revisit?! For all of us!" Kiba added, gesturing to everyone in his immediate surroundings.

"Of course I've thought that," Naruto replied, "but I just thought that someone would _tell_ me if that was the case! Hell, up until now, you've been telling me to go to Sasuke about it! You _just_ told me to continue going to him! Now, all the sudden, it's a fucking crime!"

"Have you never thought that it was best to simply let it lay to fucking rest?!" Kiba questioned hotly.

"Not when you keep urging me to keep asking!" Naruto retorted. "I haven't even tried before tonight! You're acting like I pester him every fucking day! I've never even asked before! I wanted you to help make it easier!"

"You never thought to, at fucking least, wait until someone was _ready_ to speak about it," Kiba went on, "instead of pressuring them and then cornering them when they're drunk?!" He paused, seemingly to simply catch his breath.

"As if you had no part in that! You agreed to _help_ me _nudge_ it out of him!" Naruto hollered.

Kiba wrinkled his nose up in anger. "Well, he doesn't wanna talk about it, so leave it alone!" Kiba retorted, knowing that he was guilty of that accusation. He _had_ just agreed to help Naruto squeeze it out of Sasuke. He couldn't argue with that. "Just don't pressure him!"

"I wasn't _pressuring_ him! I just wanted to hear something about R—" Naruto began to argue back, but Kiba interrupted.

"Don't ever speak her name again!" Kiba shouted, and everyone jumped at the sudden intensity. "You don't even have the right to know it! You don't have the right to know of her!" Kiba stared furiously at Naruto, who stared furiously back.

Naruto hadn't even imagined that such an angry side of Kiba could exist. In all honesty, he had never really considered how touchy the subject could be, and he had definitely never thought that it would be so touchy to _Kiba_. Kiba hadn't exactly given him any clues though. If it was so serious, why didn't Kiba just tell Naruto? Why did he keep egging Naruto on? Why was it suddenly not okay to ask about Ren? It wasn't like he'd been bothering Sasuke all day every day. He hadn't even asked once before? Naruto just didn't understand what had happened. What had changed?

"Kiba," Itachi said softly, reaching out and touching the brunette's arm.

It seemed that the solitary word was all that Kiba had needed. He relaxed a bit and glanced over to Sasuke, who was standing tensely off to the side. He seemed completely unaffected by the exchange, as if Naruto hadn't just vaguely admitted to having some sort of feelings for him and Kiba hadn't just jeopardized his friendship with Naruto to protect him. Itachi followed Kiba's gaze and tensed incredibly himself, shocked by what met his senses. Could he have actually just picked up on some of Sasuke's true emotion? The exchange must have struck something inside him, because there was a loophole in his iron defense for once.

Sasuke's face was void of all emotion, but Itachi could feel a sliver of misery seeping into his brother's aura. Sasuke was _feeling_ something, and it was something very painful to even Itachi. Had anyone else been less focused on Naruto or Kiba, they would have pounced on the opportunity to actually pick up such a thing from Sasuke. As quickly as Itachi had felt it though, it had passed. Itachi was left stunned. He had just felt a trickle of honest emotion from his brother for the first time ever. When he had come back from his "leave", Sasuke had already become the man he was now. His emotions were already locked away, and Itachi hadn't been a vampire before he left. He wasn't sure what to do next. It seemed that Sasuke had caught on as well, because he wasted no time in gracing Itachi with a chilling glare.

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said simply.

Naruto caught Sasuke's elbow quickly. "I'll walk you!" he blurted out impulsively. He wanted to stay with Sasuke, to speak with him, and to understand him, despite how inexplicably angry that very desire had just made Kiba.

"Leave it!" Kiba snapped at Naruto, who leveled a glare on him in response.

"Make me," Naruto dared, tightening his grip on Sasuke defensively. If Kiba was suddenly going to get possessive of Sasuke, Naruto would put up a damn fight... literally, if he had to.

Sasuke snatched his elbow from Naruto's grip so quickly that you would swear Naruto's fingers were made of coals. A tiny hiss left his throat and his eyes had switched to the deepest, darkest hue of red that Naruto had ever seen them be. Although, in all honesty, he hadn't really seen very much of Sasuke in the span of their acquaintance. Contrary to fable, though, vampire eyes deepened not when vampires were thirsty, for they were always thirsty, but when vampires were feeling strong emotions instead. Emotions were directly connected to their urges. Thus, the deep hue of Sasuke's eyes showed Naruto just how dangerously agitated Sasuke was, and Naruto knew that Sasuke's choice to relieve that agitation would consist of Naruto's blood in Sasuke's mouth.

Naruto was scared that he might look at Sasuke the wrong way and set the latter to ripping his throat out, so he chose to stare at Sasuke's much less intimidating lips instead. Even when sheathing a very dangerous tool evolved simply to draw copious amounts of blood from people just like Naruto himself, those lips were simply enrapturing. There was just no denying that. Naruto wouldn't have been surprised if everyone in the room, and even the surrounding outside area, picked up on his urge to kiss those lips. That even included Kiba, who had no vampire sensing abilities at all. Hell, Naruto almost lost himself entirely in a fit of desire and chanced a quick taste of those lips. That was, of course, until Sasuke's harsh voice brought him back to reality.

"I don't need a babysitter," Sasuke snarled. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm at the top of the food chain. I do _not_ need a _human_ showing me home." Sasuke's eyes filled with something dark and disturbing that was close to, but not quite, hatred as he spoke. Naruto didn't see that emotion or how intriguing it was though, for he was still too terrified to meet those dangerous eyes and, perhaps, too engulfed to leave those sinful lips.

"Then, let me," Gaara chimed in as Sasuke began turning to walk away again.

Gaara's voice was filled with demand. It was neither a question nor a suggestion. It was a command, an inevitable fate. Hard as his tone was though, Gaara's eyes were clear of any sign that the monster within him had grown any less dormant. It seemed that a long stint of self-imposed isolation did him well. He had finally started drinking supplemental blood, but only because Temari had threatened to get their father involved. His thirst was sated enough for him to interact with people again, not that he chose to do so. Kankuro had enough faith in him, though, to allow Naruto to drag him out on this rendezvous, which was going far from how Naruto had planned. He had expected some sort of conflict to unfold, but he had definitely not expected this.

When Sasuke simply scoffed at Gaara's demand, it sent Kiba over the edge. His anger was redirected from Naruto to Sasuke. "When did you turn into such a fuck?" he asked hotly. Sasuke scoffed at Kiba too. "Don't _do_ that!" Kiba demanded. Sasuke looked as if he was about to scoff again, but Kiba charged on. "Yeah, you've been cold for the past eight years,"—Sasuke tensed up immensely at the words, but Kiba went on regardless—"but this is worse than it's ever been, Sasuke. Ever since—" Kiba began to form a name with his mouth, but Sasuke put an immediate stop to that.

"Don't you dare, Kiba!" Sasuke warned viciously.

"Ever since _her,_" Kiba went on with a dramatic gesture, changing the name quickly due to Sasuke's threat but going on as if Sasuke hadn't even spoken, "you've been someone else completely. I honestly thought that we were getting you back though." Kiba's voice was displeased, but his eyes were sad and desperate. Sasuke looked as irked as ever. In fact, he almost looked violated. "I always understood when things had to change between us. I understood that we had to heal and that we would have to do that separately. I honestly thought that I was seeing the boy we grew up with come through again though. I thought that Naruto was filling some void for you."

Sasuke sneered at the notion but felt a slight skip of the beat in his chest. He would admit to being a stubborn asshole, but he couldn't lie to himself and insist that Naruto hadn't brought some form of joy into his life. Even if it seemed that all he brought was darkness, Naruto had made some strange change in Sasuke. Perhaps it wasn't the actual actions that Naruto had taken, for all of those had been truly infuriating to Sasuke, but maybe it was just the quality of his eyes and the innocence in his smile that made Sasuke feel... lighter. He would, of course, keep that thought to himself though.

"And the painting—" Kiba went on passionately.

"Oh, shut _up_ about the painting!" Sasuke interrupted quickly, abandoning all positive thought of Naruto in favor of being annoyed again. These types of things were _family_ affairs. They should be discussed in private, even if everyone remaining in the bar, except for Naruto, was pretty much to be considered so anyway. Then again, even before Naruto came and shook things up, Sasuke would never have talked about these things in either private or public. The blond seemed to be changing a lot of things in a lot of people. "Just shut up!" Sasuke snapped. He turned to leave again but stopped, only because of how unprepared he was to hear Kiba's voice take on such an ugly tone.

"No!" Kiba shouted. "I will not shut up!" Sasuke shot Kiba a filthy glare over his shoulder. "Everything you paint is her! It's everywhere!" Kiba added, causing Sasuke to look even further insulted, if that was at all possible. "At first, I thought you were still hurting and maybe you actually were. Then, everything changed when Naruto came around and you were _finally_ moving on and getting over her!"

Naruto scrunched his brows up in confusion. Was Kiba saying that Naruto had been good for Sasuke? What the fuck? Sasuke seemed to have gotten _worse_ since the very first day that they had met. Naruto _wanted_ to be good for Sasuke. He wanted to help him heal, even if he didn't know that he was doing it... but from what? What had happened in this family? Who the fuck was Ren?

* * *

**A/N:** The next chapter is a direct continuation of this one :)


	11. Chapter 11: Wait, What? Part II

_**Previously in Chapter Ten: Kiba is talking to Sasuke about Ren. He mentions Sasuke's paintings, and Sasuke tells him to shut up. Then...**_

_"No!" Kiba shouted. "I will not shut up!" Sasuke shot Kiba a filthy glare over his shoulder. "Everything you paint is her! It's everywhere!" Kiba added, causing Sasuke to look even further insulted, if that was at all possible. "At first, I thought you were still hurting and maybe you actually were. Then, everything changed when Naruto came around and you were finally moving on and getting over her!"_

_Naruto scrunched his brows up in confusion. Was Kiba saying that Naruto had been good for Sasuke? What the fuck? Sasuke seemed to have gotten worse since the very first day that they had met. Naruto wanted to be good for Sasuke. He wanted to help him heal, even if he didn't know that he was doing it... but from what? What had happened in this family? Who the fuck was Ren?_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Wait, What? Part II**

"I was so fucking happy to see the old Sasuke shining through," Kiba went on. "You know, the guy who laughed at her jokes because they really _were_ funny, the guy who never retorted because she really _was_ too witty. I thought that I was seeing the Sasuke who used to complain about dragging her along but could never stop smiling in her presence," Kiba went on fondly and, yet, still so disgruntled. "Now you're just some sick shell of yourself. I didn't even think it was possible to sink lower! And what for, Sasuke? Why did you sink lower? How did you get to be this way? Because you met someone stimulating? Because you met someone who made you feel something other than guilt or anger or loneliness?" Kiba prodded, motioning roughly to Naruto. "You met someone just as vulnerable as her, someone you didn't want to hurt, and you're afraid that—"

"I'm not _afraid_ of anything!" Sasuke spat.

"Why won't you just admit weakness?!" Kiba shouted, his voice filling with pain. "You don't have to be so empty all the time! We all know what it was like, Sasuke! We were all there! We all still are!"

Gaara dropped his I-hate-life face in favor of a much more concerned expression. He could see that this was heading into very dangerous waters. Hell, it had been heading there from the second that Naruto had asked to talk about Ren. Gaara wasn't sure that he could handle the conversation himself. Ren had been a major part of his and his siblings' lives too. It had been the most emotion that Gaara had shown for Kiba since the whole biting incident though, so Naruto rejected his inclination to interject and calm Kiba down solely for that fact—not that any of his attempts at friendly comfort would have gone over so well at that moment, considering he had started this whole thing to begin with.

"If anyone should be afraid, it's you!" Sasuke snarled threateningly. "Hold your tongue, Kiba! You're going too far and my tolerance is waning!"

Kiba scoffed so Sasuke-like that Naruto was taken aback. "What'll you do if I don't?" he said daringly. "Kill me? You're gonna take your own brother's—"

"_Step_brother," Sasuke amended crudely.

"Oh, fuck off!" Kiba exploded. "Since when did you become so bothered with that?! _Step_brother, _half—_" A terrifying hiss left Sasuke's lips, and his fangs were bared. Kiba abandoned the rest of that sentence, but was not perturbed. "When did that shit start to fucking matter?! Last time I checked, I was just your brother!"

"Then, you're late on the times," Sasuke retorted hurtfully.

Kiba didn't seem hurt though. He was only further enraged. "_I am not_!" he shouted. "That's you, Sasuke! You're stuck in some fucked up past that we've all moved on from!" Naruto could see the despair rising in his friend, and he was tempted again to comfort him. He let Kiba bellow on though, mostly out of curiosity at what would unfold. "I seem to remember very clearly some sixteen years ago when our parents were just married and you were so fucking happy to have a little brother!" Sasuke's eyes were dark slits, but he did not try to cut in or refute because it wasn't a lie. It was true. "Please, let me know when that changed because I'm confused! Was it yesterday?! Last month?! A year ago?! Eight years ago?!"

Sasuke went so rigid that it seemed impossible. "Don't speak of it!" he snapped brusquely, taking a very threatening step toward Kiba.

"We've spent _years_ not speaking of it!" Kiba shouted, taking a very fearless step toward Sasuke. "We've spent years not speaking of _anything_! Someone finally comes along who doesn't wanna take no for an answer"—Kiba gestured again to Naruto—"and we all go fucking crazy! You get scared!" Sasuke sneered at the accusation, but said nothing. "You get violent!" Kiba added, nodding at Gaara, who looked away in shame. "And I just get crazy!" Kiba looked at Naruto slightly apologetically. "I tried to unfriend him for finally ripping some fucking emotion out of you, and I've been praying for someone to do that for years." It was a good enough apology for Naruto, so he nodded in return. Kiba turned back to Sasuke. "No, Sasuke. For once, let's fucking _talk_."

Sasuke simply glared, so Kiba went on much more subdued. "Tell me when I lost your friendship." Sasuke still did not answer. "When did you side with dad? When did I become disposable to you too?" Kiba questioned disdainfully. Even Gaara's face came completely out of repose. Sasuke's face, however, seemed angrily set in stone, but Naruto would swear that he saw Sasuke stagger back a step. Kiba pounced on that telling action. "Is that what this is? If that's the fate you've condemned me to, Sasuke, then fine, but at least have the fucking balls to tell me so. If I'm gonna be thrown away by you too, then let me know. Have I been shouldering your pain for nothing?" Kiba's voice stayed even, but the emotions filling it were gathering intensity. It had to be all that he could do to keep from shouting again. Sasuke's face was finally relaxing, but not in a good way. It was in an agonizing sort of way. "Have you _any_ clue what I'm even talking about?" Kiba asked.

Naruto had expected Sasuke to stay silent or else simply walk away again. To his surprise though, Sasuke answered quickly. "Yes!" he said quietly but fiercely.

That answer only seemed to upset Kiba even further. He closed his eyes and balled his fists tightly. "And yet I suffered alone?" he bit out. He did not wait for an answer, as if he would have gotten one. "I shouldered your pain out of pure, _brotherly_ love, and you let me suffer on my own?" Sasuke's face flashed a flicker of emotion before he shifted his eyes to stare pointedly at the floor. "You left me alone?!" Kiba asked, his voice getting louder as he neared tears.

"You weren't _alone_," Itachi cut in.

Kiba stared at Sasuke for a moment longer, begging whatever gods were out there to crack his shell. He eventually looked to his other sibling though, and he smiled when he did. Itachi's eyes were so expressive, such the opposite of Sasuke's. He had the emotional tools to be just as empty as Sasuke, but he did no such thing. He was not afraid of his emotions. He was not afraid to show Kiba himself entirely. His eyes were full of concern and of solidarity. Yes, Kiba was not alone. He was never alone. Itachi protected him as best that he could. Even when Itachi had left them as children, Kiba never felt abandoned. Itachi had always protected Kiba.

Kiba smiled weakly and nodded. "You're right. I wasn't alone," he acknowledged. "You were there." The pair only disengaged their gaze when Sasuke snorted with disgust.

"What?!" Kiba snapped, but Sasuke didn't answer. He simply averted his eyes again. "Jealous of our relationship?" Kiba poked.

Sasuke sneered. "As if."

"You know, Ren—" Kiba began what would have been a very compelling statement before he was cut off.

"Don't _speak_ of her," Sasuke demanded. His tone, however, was softer this time, and much more pleading.

Kiba didn't back down, however. "Why? Just because Naruto is here? He's probably figured it all out anyway!"

Naruto didn't want to let on otherwise, but he couldn't help the ignorance in his expression. He didn't really care though. He would bet that they could all sense his lack of understanding anyway. His hunch was confirmed by Sasuke's reply.

"No, he hasn't!" Sasuke snapped.

"Well, he'll find out anyway!" Kiba replied.

"Yeah, when you betray me again and tell him!" Sasuke retorted, looking at Kiba with renewed ferocity. "I thought that it was _my_ story to tell, as you phrased it not so long ago," Sasuke added, his voice finding its typical, even rhythm again. Kiba huffed. He had said that, and it was true. This was Sasuke's story to tell, and no one else's. "What? Now that you're angry with me, it's suddenly okay to scream my story out to the public, despite what I wish?"

Kiba couldn't argue. Instead, he looked guiltily away. Kiba took a few deep breaths to collect himself. Sasuke had just snuffed him out completely. Kiba _had_ gotten too carried away just then. In a fit of anger, he had almost reverted to doing exactly what he had been adamant on not doing the entire time he had even known Naruto. Had he not been endlessly reminding himself that Sasuke should be the one to tell? Helping Naruto get it out of Sasuke when Sasuke was drunk was one thing. Saying it himself out of spite was another thing entirely. It was not like Kiba at all. He was never the type of person to stoop to spilling Sasuke's secrets. It was all of their secret really, but it was mostly Sasuke's. He should have been the one to share it, if ever he wanted to. Sasuke had every right to withhold that information, and Kiba had no right to divulge it. Well, he had a right. It just wasn't big enough, not nearly as big as Sasuke's.

Kiba tensed when he saw Sasuke turn and begin to walk away again. He wasn't ready to let Sasuke go. He wasn't ready to watch Sasuke disappear through that door. He knew that everything they had touched on tonight would be lost if he did. Sasuke would push it all away and pretend that it didn't exist, just as he always did. Kiba couldn't handle that. There was still so much left to talk about, so much to mend. Could Sasuke not see how much Kiba needed him? Could Sasuke not feel how desperate Kiba was for their bond to reignite? Or else, did he simply not care? Itachi, without a doubt, cared. He picked up on Kiba's rising despair and stepped in. He stopped Sasuke dead in his tracks. He didn't stop him with words or a gentle touch though. Itachi stopped him with brute force.

In the blink of an eye, Itachi was pinning Sasuke down on the ground by his neck, growling fiercely. "You would leave your brother in such a state?!" he shouted. "Don't pretend that you cannot feel his pain!" Itachi released Sasuke's neck with such force that Sasuke was flung back across the floor a few feet. "Go back to him!" Itachi demanded as he stood again.

Sasuke let out an impressive growl that had Naruto's stomach turning. "Please," he spat. In a flash, the positions were switched. Itachi found himself pinned below a snarling Sasuke. "You think you have any power over me?" Sasuke jeered.

"Do not test me!" Itachi warned, changing positions again and slamming Sasuke up against the bar.

"Do not order me around like your puppet!" Sasuke snarled, and he tensed to retaliate. Itachi slammed him back into the bar, though, before he could even get an inch away from it.

"**Do not test me!**" Itachi repeated in a deafening bellow. For the first time since their reunion, Sasuke recognized Itachi's strength. When backed into a corner, however, Sasuke could do worse.

Too quickly for any human to see, deep gashes were slashed into Itachi face and Sasuke had thrown him across the bar. Itachi did not seem fazed by the number of tables he had taken out along the way or by the dent that was left in the wall supporting his stage. In fact, the moment that he had stopped moving, he was tensed to spring an immediate counterattack. Deidara, however, was at his side in a fraction of a second, whispering frantically into his ear and holding him to his spot with a death grip. Sasuke's lips quirked into an arrogant smirk. Before he could make any snide remarks though, Itachi was speaking again. He had abandoned his anger rather easily and, instead, honed in on something else entirely.

"Do you even have any idea what our brother has been through?" Itachi asked quietly, though his voice was sharp. Sasuke snorted dismissively. Itachi's hands began trembling, perhaps with a desire to maim, but he didn't emanate any outward aggression. "He has suffered more than any of us. He had suffered more than even you, Sasuke, much more than you." Sasuke snorted again, except it was less dismissive and more derisive.

"Did you never once stop to think about me?" Kiba asked, pulling the attention back to himself. Sasuke built up a terrible scowl, but it faltered after a moment. That was all the indication that Kiba needed. "You, apparently, disowned me at some point, but don't you think that I was suffering as much as you, if not tenfold?"

"Oh, I'm sure," Sasuke said sarcastically.

"The only father I have _ever_ known threw me away," Kiba said calmly.

"And you were the _only_ child that he threw away, were you?" Sasuke added coldly.

"Look at your life, Sasuke!" Kiba exclaimed. "Itachi has this bar and dad turns a blind eye, letting him have his way. You take up art and dad simply hassles you every now and then, giving you your way. The family business isn't in the line of bar-tending or art! You are lucky! Dad spares you, the both of you!"

"Please," Sasuke spat. "He does not spare me, Kiba."

"Ita turns his nose up at money that I'll never have, and you suck it up like a bloody fucking leech," Kiba argued. "Dad just gives you what you want to please you, and all _you_ have to endure is a little haggling!"

"You can't see the way that he looks at me?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"And what of me?" Kiba retorted. "He looks at you coldly and, yet, treats you so warmly... and _what of me_? _I_ have to take business or law or something else I abso-fucking-lutely hate, just so dad has someone to assert his demands on. Fuck what Kiba _wants_ to do. Kiba does what he's told," Kiba went on frantically, trying to escape the building tears. "Itachi can have his bar, Sasuke can have his art, and Kiba can have nothing but the fear of complete abandonment if he's not grateful that he even gets to _go_ to college! I get no money, no support, no love! I don't even get to exist unless dad is feeling especially frustrated!"

Sasuke's mask began to slowly melt. "Boo hoo, little orphan Kiba," he quipped.

Kiba's eyes clouded with tears. "Have you no idea _why_ I live like this?" Kiba demanded. "You don't remember _when_ dad stopped loving me?" A slight hardening of Sasuke's eyes was answer enough. "You thought that _you_ had lost his love. You thought that _you_ had been cast aside. No, Sasuke. _I_ suffered for you. Were you really too engulfed in your own pity party to realize that no one was punishing you? Dad may never look at you the same, but he'll never treat you any differently and that's because _I_ was always your stunt double. _I_ shouldered that pain." Sasuke's face held the faintest look of surprise. Kiba's brows raised in his own surprise. "Are you serious? Did you really never wonder why I had to move into the basement? Did you really never hear me cry out? What, did you think that I was just having bad dreams? You didn't know that I was living out_ real fucking nightmares_?" Sasuke's brows furrowed slightly.

"What was I doing down there Sasuke?" Kiba asked softly, his voice airy from the shock. Sasuke didn't speak. "What was I doing?" Kiba repeated, wanting desperately to hear the answer from Sasuke. Sasuke, however, looked genuinely ignorant. Kiba's eyes filled with tears. Had Sasuke truly never known? "I was beaten," Kiba whispered. "I was beaten because of... you." The last word came out in a breathy whisper. "I suffered for your sins. Even now, I pay for them. And all this time you _honestly_ thought that _you_ were being punished?" Naruto was floored to see Sasuke's eyes glistening, though his face remained mostly impassive.

"You didn't know?" Itachi asked quietly, though skeptically.

Slowly, Sasuke shook his head no. "I knew," he said flatly. He had always known in the back of his head what was happening below his feet. It had been easier to tune it out though. He couldn't shoulder that guilt back then. He was a child. Hell, he couldn't even shoulder it in the present. "I blocked it out in a selfish attempt to find salvation," Sasuke said, and he shrugged lightly. Although, the dispassionate attitude that he tried to portray didn't quite reach his eyes.

"And what about _my_ salvation?" Kiba asked, his eyes filled to the brim with tears. He would have been happier if Sasuke had truly been ignorant. "We were brothers, but you never sought it, not once."

"You have _two_ brothers," Sasuke said simply.

"Itachi protected me," Kiba defended quickly. "He took my beatings. He warmed me in his arms at night. He never turned a blind eye to me, and I was grateful. I still am grateful."

"And that's not enough for you?" Sasuke asked evenly.

"It will never erase this moment right now," Kiba replied. "Not a single bruise that dad ever put on my body could compare to this, and not a single memory of Itachi rescuing me from that hell will ease it. Nothing will make me forget that my brother simply tuned me out, as if I wasn't crying out for him at night. So, no, it's not enough. It never will be."

Sasuke's iron defense was crumbling. His chest was contracting from the onslaught of emotions. He almost couldn't stop himself from crying. _Almost. _He had condemned his brother to a miserable existence. It was all his fault. Everything. Everything was his fault, and Kiba had a right to hate him for that. He couldn't face Kiba. He couldn't look into those eyes for a moment longer. He was a true monster, more than he had ever thought before. He had to avert his eyes. Was he even worthy of looking at Kiba ever again?

"You played deaf and left me to suffer alone," Kiba said quietly.

"_He_ left us," Sasuke retorted, keeping his eyes glued to the floor but nodding toward Itachi.

Kiba huffed. "Even after he left, he left me something," he argued. "Dad was less cruel to me. Even now, he gets dad to cut me some slack."

"Well, there you go. You have my brother to do anything for you," Sasuke replied gruffly. "That's more than I can say, but _he_ never abandoned you. You should be content with that," he finished in what should have been a cold tone. His eyes, however, were uncharacteristically thick with emotion.

"That doesn't even compare to the things that he's done for _you_, Sasuke," Kiba argued. "You have no idea what he's done to keep dad off your back. You have no idea how much of your life is what it is just because of him, because of what he's done for you. You have so much to thank him for."

Sasuke snorted. "Yeah," he began sarcastically, lifting cold eyes to Itachi, "because I'm really thankful that he left me. I'm even more thankful that he was loving _you_ too much when he was actually there to remember that he had a _real_ brother to care for."

"Yeah, cause you were suffering so much in your warm, comfortable room," Kiba retorted. It made Sasuke feel guilty again, so his eyes found their way back to the ground. "Leaving is not the only thing that Ita has ever done," Kiba added.

"But it's the biggest," Sasuke said, "and you should be angry too. He left us both."

"_You_ pretended it wasn't happening the whole time!" Kiba snapped back. "I should be angry at _you_. I guess that must have been when I stopped being your brother. You never stopped being mine though," Kiba added softly, looking down at the ground too. Gaara instinctively reached over and rubbed Kiba's back comfortingly. Kiba's emotion was so strong that Sasuke felt compelled to look up. He had to work double time to keep his emotions from strangling him. He had caused this. He had forced Kiba's head to bow down in defeat. It was his fault, all his fault. "I was brave though," Kiba went on. "I'm so brave that I can overlook that selfishness of yours and stand before you, even now, having forgiven you. I'm so brave that I could suffer _for_ you, my brother, knowing that you may never thank me for it."

"You want me to thank you?" Sasuke asked quietly. It was a pitiful attempt, for he was unfamiliar with it, but his tone was an obvious stab at apologetic.

"No," Kiba groaned. Hie eyes were still down-cast, but the tears were unmistakable. "I want you to move the fuck on," he said through a sob. He spoke as evenly as he could though, determined to go on. "Dad disowned me for a crime I didn't commit and why shouldn't he? I was just the stepson. After everything, I felt like, at least, I wasn't only the stepbrother. I thought that you guys loved me." Kiba took a deep, steadying breath. He looked back up at Sasuke, but Sasuke had to look away again to contain his emotions.

"When Gaara and I first got together, I was eager to let him feed on me. I didn't mind it because I knew that it was helping him, and I wanted to help. Just like that, I shouldered your pain bravely because I wanted to help. It was _because_ I had brothers that I carried on. It was mostly Ita, but after he left, it was you that kept me going. It was knowing that you were suffering too. It was knowing that, by taking the physical abuse, I spared you that made it so easy. It was faith that you would heal and we could be happy _together_ again that made it all bearable. I didn't know that I was actually alone at that time.

"I was so desperate to save you, because I loved you. That hunger to save you, Sasuke, that need to love you as my kin has never left and it never will. Even now, even eight tortuous and miserable years later, I want to see you smile again." A rogue tear that Sasuke fought desperately to restrain fell loose, and Kiba's voice trembled even more vigorously. "I lost Ren too. She was the most precious person to me, and I _know_ it was the same for you. We both lost ourselves that day and I have only ever been fighting to help you come back to me. I never expected anything in return, but I always had faith that you would rescue me too. I always had faith that you would be okay, and then you would save me from dad... but maybe I am just naive." Kiba choked down a sob.

"I have been fighting to glue this family back together again because that's how Ren would have wanted it to be, despite all the cruelty I've suffered. I still love Fugaku. I still call him dad. I do that because I understand that he was in pain. I forgive him because Ren would have done it. I love Itachi. I forgive him for leaving us because I understand that he was in pain. Ren would have done it. I love my mom. I forgive her for letting dad hurt me because I understand that she was in pain. Ren would have done that too. I love you, Sasuke, and I forgive you because I understand that you were in pain. We were all in pain. I've only ever wanted us to heal, to be a family again, for Ren. I feel like the last carrier of her spirit, the last person who's fighting for anything anymore. In the end, I only suffered the pain of every member of our fucked up family, and I'll probably suffer it for the rest of my life. If it relieves you all of your burdens though, I'll do it..." Kiba paused before finishing softly, "because you're my family."

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said after a moment. His voice, even and empty, directly contradicted his words. "It hasn't felt anything like a family to me for years, but"—Sasuke looked up at Kiba, and the emotion was there in his face—"maybe things can change. If it's for—" Ren's name began to form on his lips. Kiba looked as if he was about to explode with the emotions surging between them, but the name seemed to click something off in Sasuke. He stopped speaking and looked back down at the ground. In the blink of an eye, all emotion had drained from his face. His defenses were back up. Every emotion that all the other vampires had been feeding off of was sharply severed. Sasuke had completely retracted. He was empty, and he, once again, began to leave.

"Let us help you!" Itachi commanded desperately. "Let us help you finally grieve and finally let go of that pain. Please."

"You don't get to help!" Sasuke snarled, turning around quickly. "You were gone, Itachi! _You_ should have been there to protect her! _I_ was only _twelve_!" Sasuke shouted. "I was only twelve, but you left us!" Sasuke's eyes took on a wild quality and his aura filled with contempt so quickly that it physically moved every vampire in the room with its intensity. For someone who worked so hard at locking them away, Sasuke's emotions were vivid. "You left _me_!" he added in what was nearing a scream.

"And I'm sorry," Itachi shouted back, "but I'm here now!"

"I don't _want_ you now!" Sasuke shouted back angrily. After a few moments of sharing an intense gaze with Itachi, Sasuke spoke again in a much more controlled manner. "It's too late now. She's already dead," he said venomously.

He spun around quickly to leave before anyone could stop him again, but he bumped right into a familiar blond. How Naruto had snuck around to get directly behind him, he couldn't tell you, but he jumped back to put some distance between them instantly. He didn't like how being in physical contact with Naruto made him feel. He didn't like how those captivating, brilliant, blue eyes made him feel either. They held some odd piece of Ren that Naruto couldn't possibly have, and that put Sasuke on a sickening edge.

"Let _me_ help you," Naruto suggested quietly.

Naruto attached one hand gently to Sasuke's elbow, holding the other out in an offer for a hug. The contact was soft. It wasn't even a clasp or a grab. It was really just a gentle touch. Sasuke stared at Naruto incredulously, his eyes darting between the point of contact and those blue orbs. Sasuke faintly willed himself to hiss in defense and scare the man off, but he found that his throat was paralyzed. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing anymore. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, but he couldn't really feel his body at all. He could only recognize the precise spot where Naruto's fingers seared his skin.

His panic eventually ebbed enough for him to gaze into Naruto's eyes steadily, as if he'd had any choice to do otherwise. One good look into those eyes would have had anyone sucked into their abyss. Sasuke found not even the faintest trace of fear or reluctance in their depths. There was only acceptance. If Naruto had ever been sure of anything in his life, it was that he should be standing there before Sasuke as he was, and that feeling was strongly portrayed in his gaze. Sasuke became slightly aware of his chest again and of how heavily he was panting. He vacantly thought about how embarrassed he should be at how he must have sounded. A simple touch had nailed him to the ground and sent him panting like an overheated dog.

Sasuke's thoughts wandered to his sister and to her death, a death that had been torturing him for eight years straight. As though he could read Sasuke's unnerving thoughts, Naruto's eyes grew softer, silently assuring Sasuke that it was okay to feel whatever he was feeling—and, oddly enough, Sasuke felt that it was. His thoughts wandered away, until they fell back upon her name. Ren. He felt the overwhelming urge to close up at the word, just as he had always done. The stupid, blond idiot's fingers were making that impossible though. Ren. Naruto was holding him open. Ren. So very open, and Sasuke couldn't fight it. Ren. Sasuke felt everything that he had ever felt about Ren overwhelm him at once. Once again, every vampire in the room was moved by the rush of emotions that filled his aura, all circulating around one name. _Ren_. Most of all, Sasuke recognized the loneliness that he'd felt at the loss of his most precious person. Sasuke whispered, "Ren," so quietly that only Naruto could hear.

Naruto could hear the guilt, the anger, the pain, the loneliness, the misery, and heaviest of all, the love engulfing that name. He smiled softly at Sasuke. Everyone was watching the back of Sasuke's head. It had been a few very long moments that he and Naruto stood like that, and nobody dared to breathe. The only noise was the sound of Sasuke's heavy breath. Naruto's smile never faltered though. It was enticing. It was captivating. It was tempting. Naruto would hold him. Sasuke knew that. For the first time in years, Sasuke wanted to be held. He couldn't quite will his muscles to move though. He wanted so badly to be gone from Naruto's line of sight but he couldn't leave, not with those fingers anchoring him to the earth. Sasuke's mind was blanking, one incessant name bellowing along the corridors like a mantra of misery. Ren. Ren. Ren. Did he even want to flee? No. He didn't want to move. Yet, he wanted to be anywhere but there, anywhere but within reach of Naruto and the feelings that he had made Sasuke feel for his sister again.

There was a gaping hole in Sasuke's chest, a hole the he couldn't ignore in Naruto's presence. It had swallowed him entirely. He had disappeared into that hole. He had been lost completely, but Naruto... Naruto was his rope. Naruto was hauling him from one abyss into another. He was pulling Sasuke from Ren's despair to shower him in his own light. Naruto was bringing life back to Sasuke. Naruto was bringing _Sasuke_ back to Sasuke. Then, suddenly, his mantra was replaced. Naruto. There was something to alleviate a bit of his pain. Naruto. There was a reason to _feel_ again. Naruto. There was nothing to fear, because Naruto had the power to heal him. Yes, Naruto. "Naruto."

The name must have come out as less than a whisper, but Naruto heard it loud and clear. His hand shifted from a touch to a grip. It applied a reassuring pressure that said, 'Yes, I'm here'. Sasuke decided at that very moment that he wanted to be closer. He wanted to truly fall into Naruto's abyss. He wanted to move forward, onward, inward, and into Naruto's arms. he could see a safe haven in the foot that still lay between them, and that was where he wanted to be. Luckily—or, perhaps, unfortunately—Sasuke's body moved on its own. Before Sasuke could decide whether he was moving properly or not, his fingers were wrapped tightly around two tan wrists and he was moving forward, and maybe onward, but not inward or into anything at all like Naruto's arms.

A familiar noise rang through the room. Sasuke recognized it as his own, often utilized, predatory hiss. He noticed that his face was scrunched up in fury. Apparently, it was having the right effect because, vacant as Sasuke felt, Naruto responded with a jolt of fear. It was obvious how hard he'd had to try to recover and look unconcerned again. Sasuke's hiss was punctuated by the sound of Naruto's back cracking as it hit the edge of the stage. Sasuke loomed over him, and slammed Naruto's wrists against the stage floor, efficiently bending Naruto over in the most uncomfortable position. Naruto winced in pain.

Sasuke couldn't be sure if he actually wanted any of that to happen, but it happened nonetheless. His body had been trained to react after years and years of repetitive action. People speak kindly to me, I snarl. People touch me, I retract. People affect me, I hiss. People annoy me enough, I bite. All the while, I think nothing of Ren. The name had been far too taboo to even think aloud in his mind. Sasuke couldn't be sure if he wanted to hurt Naruto or if he wanted to love him, but he felt his mouth descending to bite anyway. His throat came alive with a familiar throbbing, an anticipation for blood. His eyes burned as their color intensified. He was beginning to lose track of his confusing thoughts and instinct was taking over. When a vampire got that close to a neck, the only thing left to do was to simply bite.

They had, however, ended up just beside Itachi. It was Itachi's threatening growl and the hand that gripped Sasuke's shirt that stopped Sasuke's descent. Instantly, Sasuke's instinct was to fight, to protect his meal. Then, Sasuke completed the _one_ action he was _sure_ that he had commanded himself to complete. Just as quickly as he had snapped and pounced upon Naruto, he was gone. Itachi was left with just a patch of black fabric clutched in his fingers. Naruto didn't even have the time to right himself before Sasuke disappeared out of the door like a flash of lightning.

This was not how Naruto had hoped for that evening to go... not at all.

* * *

**A/N:** I don't normally do this stuff, but I'm gonna give out songs this chapter :)

1. From Gaara to Kiba—_I Should Be Lost Without You_ by **David Condos**  
2. From Sasuke to Ren—_Echo_ by **Jason Walker**  
3. From Kiba to Ren (you may only find this on youtube)—_So This Is War_ by **Medic  
**4. From Naruto to Sasuke—_Broken Open_ by **Adam Lambert  
**6. From Kiba to Sasuke—_We All Need Saving_ by **Jon Mclaughlin  
**5. From Kiba to Gaara—_Human_ by **Jon Mclaughlin**

That's all I really feel like doing. Maybe in the next chapter or later chapters or something I'll do more.


	12. Chapter 12: A New Life

**A/N:** This is my favorite chapter fo sho. That's all.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: A New Life**

Fucking Kankuro. Three weeks and he was _still_ "missing". Naruto lightly rubbed the wound on his shoulder absently. It had been feeling awfully strange lately. He just assumed it must have been traces of venom or something. It wasn't like he knew though. He wasn't an expert on vampire bites or anything. He would have just asked one of his friends, but no one was any damn help. Kiba had been in a real mood since that awful double date. On the bright side, Gaara had dropped the drama queen act and gone home. Even if they were living under the same roof again, Gaara was still pretty distant though. He slept in the guest bedroom and often went out alone, leaving Kiba to feel the same way he'd felt when Gaara was gone. It wasn't exactly a happy one, but it was a medium.

Naruto could understand Kiba's mood though. After what had happened with Sasuke, Kiba had every right to be upset. Naruto couldn't even imagine having a brother who had been his very best friend at some point just shun him for no apparent reason at all. Well, there was definitely a reason. Naruto just didn't know what that reason was. All he knew was that it involved Ren, their sister. Her death had ruined their family. But why? Didn't families usually come together in the wake of such a tragedy?

Kiba had seen Sasuke come so damn close to being human again that night, and then he just turned the other way in an instant. It must have been devastating for Kiba to feel like he was getting his brother back just to have the asshole run away again. Everyone who was there that evening was glad to have seen any emotion coming out of Sasuke at all, even if it wasn't necessarily pleasant. When he started to let himself be truly vulnerable though, everyone was on pins and needles. Just when they all thought that they'd finally had Sasuke in the bag and that his shell had been broken, Naruto included, Sasuke about-faced and kept on running. Naruto had been _so_ damn close to pinning the bastard to the spot too. Sasuke had _almost_ stayed. He had _almost_ hugged Naruto. In the end, though, he ran. He chose to leave and shut himself off again. That must have been eating Kiba up inside. If it affected Naruto as severely as it did, he couldn't even imagine how Kiba must have been faring.

That double date was something else that Naruto would have loved to talk to someone about. Gaara was definitely out though, considering he spent most of the time he was even around looking unhappier than a cat tossed in a lake. It did seem like a different kind of discontentment though. Naruto already knew that Gaara had found his blood-lust harder to manage ever since the whole biting incident when Naruto accidentally found out that vampires existed. It seemed like it had been ten times harder to manage lately though, now that he was living with Kiba again. That was reasonable. At least Gaara's constant scowl wasn't directed toward Kiba himself, but rather toward the fact that he constantly wanted to rip the brunette's throat out and drink his blood instead. Only in the vampire world was that the better option.

Even if it was a constant struggle with his blood-lust for him to stay, Gaara still hadn't left. That was how Naruto knew that things must have changed for Gaara. He was one of the very select few people who knew the Inuzuka-Uchiha family history—not to mention, he could feel Kiba's emotions easily—so he knew exactly what Kiba must have been dealing with. Naruto, on the other hand, only knew that Kiba was suffering. To what extent or for what specific reasons, he had no clue. Even if it had been easier to pretend otherwise, Gaara and Kiba had a bond that Gaara could not ignore at this time. Before the double date, Gaara was content to simply leave Kiba, thinking that it was best for both of them. Now, however, everything had changed. Even if he refused to date Kiba anymore, he couldn't act like they hadn't been friends their whole lives. He couldn't just leave Kiba hanging during such a turbulent time.

Even if he didn't say it out loud, Kiba needed Gaara. That much was obvious to anyone—even people with no vampire sensing abilities at all—and it was a different kind of need than before too. Before, Kiba just wanted his boyfriend back. Now, Kiba needed his friend. Gaara would still avoid touching or even talking to Kiba if he could, but Naruto saw the redhead staring at Kiba fairly often. It didn't look like Gaara was trying very hard to hide his staring either, and Kiba had easily caught on to that too.

How Naruto knew that Gaara and Kiba still had something strong left between them was all in their eyes. The moments when they would catch each other looking at the same time, something intense would pass between them. Not only that, but Gaara was back to being overly protective of Kiba, if not even more so than before. That was different too though. It was almost as if Gaara was overcompensating because this was something that Gaara knew he couldn't really protect Kiba from. It certainly didn't seem like Gaara was making very big strides to rekindle their relationship romantically, but it was also kind of inevitable. It had to be hard, if not impossible, to be around each other and not feel the love that they had shared.

Romantic relationship aside, Gaara was definitely striving to be the friend that Kiba needed. Really, he didn't have to do much to help Kiba because Kiba would just instantly relax around Gaara. It must have simply been Gaara's being that caused Kiba to do so. There was obviously a connection deeper than anything Naruto had ever witnessed between the two of them. It was a connection that forced Gaara to stay by Kiba's side, even if it was a very, very confusing place to be. In short, their relationship was obviously complicated, and that made Gaara the wrong guy to talk to about anything—and Naruto decided that anything included _everything _that had transpired since he had come into their lives. It sure seemed like it was just one big thing after another.

Things with Sasuke just got weird after the double date. He started showing up at the very last minute before class, and he always chose to sit in a seat that was light-years away from Naruto. He wouldn't even look at the blond. Well, not when Naruto was looking anyway. Naruto knew that Sasuke was watching him though. He could just _feel_ Sasuke's eyes on him, but it was no use trying to catch him in the act. Sasuke was a vampire. He could only ever be caught red-handed if he wanted to. The one time that Naruto was actually able to catch a glimpse of Sasuke's face was when he had accidentally bumped into the brunette while not paying attention. Sasuke had glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, but his expression was absolutely flat. It was as if he was looking at a complete stranger. Naruto wasn't sure how to react right away, but Sasuke disappeared before Naruto could even think about reacting anyway. Naruto noticed that he'd been rubbing his wound more obsessively than normal for the rest of that day. So there was obviously no way he could talk to Sasuke, as if that had ever panned out well any other time he had tried it in the past anyway.

As for Temari... well... she was just so flippant. Her attention span was worse than a fish. Her having vampire speed only made it harder for Naruto to talk to her too. Every time he tried to bring up the evening of the double date, or his wounds, or Kankuro, she would be onto something else in moments and then speeding away. It didn't necessarily seem intentional, even though Naruto could tell that those subjects made her uncomfortable and that she wanted to say what everyone said: Ask an Uchiha. Temari was truly just scatter-brained. She was, by no means, a stupid air-head. She just never stopped moving. It was hard to talk to a moving subject, especially if it had vampire speed. And as for Kankuro, that son of a bitch was still nowhere to be found. His name had also become some sort of a stupid taboo. No one would say it themselves, and then they would all just pretend that they hadn't heard when Naruto did. So, in summary, Naruto was left in the dark; but that was really no shock, was it? He was always the one left in the dark.

He rubbed his cut more roughly as he got more riled up. On one particularly rough rub, he winced as a sting of pain shot through his nerves. He sighed heavily. He wished this wound would heal faster. The one on his back was healing pretty normally, maybe even a bit too quickly. There was something off about the one on his shoulder though. It just didn't feel normal. Well, he did get it from a vampire, so maybe it _wasn't_ normal. Of course, he had no idea because no one would talk to him about that sort of stuff, so he just had to rely on what little knowledge he did have. It wasn't like he had a lot of knowledge either because he'd never had such a serious gash before, but he did know that the wound just felt wrong to him. Well, maybe not necessarily wrong. Just different. He was always rubbing it compulsively; and if he tried _not_ to touch it, then he would get really fidgety and anxious. It was just impossible for him to ignore. It wasn't necessarily hurting or itching or anything. He just felt like he constantly had to be touching it.

All Naruto wanted was one goddamn person to talk to. If Kankuro would just come back from wherever the fuck he decided to go, then Naruto could—

"Stop spacing out and read, Naruto."

Naruto snapped his head to the right. Oh, shit. That's right. Kiba. He and Kiba were... uh... What were they doing again?

"We've been here for hours and you're still on the same page," Kiba said flatly. "Don't waste my time."

Right! Studying! Kiba was helping Naruto study for a test!

"I'm reading!" Naruto lied.

Kiba rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his own book. "Doesn't matter. I stopped reading your material a while ago. You were obviously zoned out," Kiba said, propping his book to stand up. Naruto leaned forward to read the title. It clearly had nothing to do with his test. From the looks of it, Kiba had been on that book for a while too. He hadn't been helping Naruto study for a long time now, not that Naruto had any right to complain. Kiba would have just been talking to himself had he even been trying to help anyway.

Kiba continued to read his book in silence, showing no real interest in Naruto anymore. Naruto sighed. He hated the dull edge that Kiba's personality had taken on. This had far surpassed depressed. Kiba was just a completely different person now. That was mostly thanks to Sasuke and his inability to just be human for a while. Just as Naruto launched into a mental tirade on Sasuke, Kiba's phone started vibrating on the table. Kiba sighed, as if the whole situation was truly troublesome, and Naruto sighed again too. This type of attitude was Shika's thing, not Kiba's. This guy was supposed to be lively and vibrant. Naruto really missed that. Without taking his eyes off of his book, Kiba flipped open his phone and placed it at his ear.

"Yes?" he asked dully. Suddenly, his book fell flat. He stayed staring into the empty space where it had just been with a look of shock on his face anyway though.

"What?" Naruto asked quickly, abandoning the book that he had been pretending to read.

"Uh... What?" Kiba asked into the phone. "Repeat that."

"Who is it?" Naruto asked eagerly.

Kiba started mouthing a name. Hmm... Ass... Uh... Jockey... Ahgvey... S... _Was_ that an 'S'...? Yes, definitely an 'S'... Sa... s... su... suke... Sasuke! Sasuke?

"Sasuke?!" Naruto asked loudly.

Kiba slapped his hand over Naruto's mouth. "Friends? _My_ friends?" he asked into the phone. Pause. "What should I—" He cut off, and his face scrunched up confusedly. "Wh-What did you say?" he asked. When a response was given, he looked thoroughly confused. "Uh... Okay. Okay, yeah. Um... Bye then?" Kiba paused and then flipped his phone shut, finally removing his hand from Naruto's mouth.

"What'd he want?" Naruto asked immediately.

"Uh... He wants to hang out," Kiba answered.

"Hang out?" Naruto asked. "I'm confused."

"Yeah, I don't know," Kiba said. "Tomorrow, he wants to go ice skating."

Naruto stared blankly for a moment. "Sasuke?" he asked. Kiba nodded his head slowly, clearly confused too. Then, Naruto broke out into uncontrollable snickers. "S-Sasu-uke w-wants t-to ice s-skate?!"

"Is that a problem?" Sasuke asked out of nowhere. Both Naruto and Kiba yelped and jumped in their chairs, earning them a disapproving glare from the librarian across the room. "If you don't like ice skating, then don't go. Simple as that," Sasuke said flatly, standing behind their chairs. Naruto stared at Sasuke incredulously, unable to believe that the man was actually there and admitting that he wanted to go ice skating... with _other people_. This was just too weird.

"You're here," Kiba pointed out confusedly.

Sasuke hummed affirmatively and casually took the seat across from Naruto at the table. Both boys watched him curiously.

"And you're sitting," Naruto pointed out.

"Oh? Is that what I'm doing?" Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"I thought you said tomorrow," Kiba said.

"I did, but it's not like I couldn't sense you from a mile away. I just thought that I would come—" Sasuke cleared his throat, as he wasn't used to saying these types of things, "—hang out... with you two... right now." When all he received for his effort was two judging stares, he added defensively, "There are some books I need to get anyway."

"Okay," Kiba said after a minute of just staring.

"Uh, no," Naruto interjected, suddenly coming to life. "Not okay. This is weird. Why do you wanna _hang out_ with us? What makes you think that we wanna hang out with you? I think you—"

"Naruto!" Kiba snapped. "Shut up."

Naruto looked thoroughly offended by Kiba's demand, and so he opened his mouth to retort. _I mean, really,_ Naruto was thinking in his head. _Has Kiba just forgotten all the shit that just happened only a few days ago? Is he just gonna pretend that Sasuke's behavior isn't totally weird or that we don't all still have __a lot of shit to talk about? Did he forget what he's been feeling like since that night and whose fault it is that he's been feeling that way?_

"I thought it would be nice if I could meet your friends," Sasuke said, interrupting Naruto's argument before he could even begin it. Naruto's brows shot up in disbelief as he completely abandoned his attack on Kiba to look back at Sasuke instead. Sasuke scowled slightly at the shock that he felt rolling off of Naruto. He wasn't _that_ antisocial... was he? "It would be nice to know that they're normal people who aren't planning on murdering you two in a dark alley somewhere or anything," he added.

Naruto snorted. "You're worried about our friends being dangerous?" he asked.

"They could be," Sasuke replied simply.

"Why would that bother _you_?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke raised a brow that was clearly questioning Naruto's intelligence. "I thought that would be an obvious answer," he said. After a short pause, in which Naruto just looked at him expectantly, Sasuke went on. "I don't want either of you to die."

"That wasn't obvious," Naruto said bluntly, "not at all."

Sasuke scowled again. "Do I really seem like such a villain in your eyes?" he asked.

Naruto snorted again, even more animatedly this time. "Honestly? 99 percent of the time, yes," he answered. Sasuke's scowl deepened.

"He's not," Kiba said quietly. When Naruto and Sasuke looked at him, he was staring down at his closed book. "Sasuke's not a villain," he clarified. He peered up at Sasuke and then mumbled, "_I'm_ happy you're making an effort." He looked back down and added in a tiny whisper that he knew only Sasuke would hear, "—for Ren."

"I'm gonna go find a book then," Sasuke said simply, pretending to ignore Kiba's comment.

As soon as Sasuke seemed to be out of ear shot—seriously, these humans will never learn that out of earshot just isn't a thing among vampires—Naruto turned to Kiba. "He's acting weird," he said.

Kiba looked up at him and smiled. "That's a good thing, Naruto," he assured. "It means he's trying."

"Trying to what?" Naruto asked.

Kiba sighed and rolled his eyes. "He's trying to move on, Naruto." When all he got in return was a confused look, Kiba added, "—from Ren, you idiot."

"OH!" Naruto exclaimed, finally understanding... kind of. "Then, that double date _did_ have an effect on him?" he asked, looking off toward where Sasuke had disappeared to.

Kiba looked off into the same direction. "Maybe he just needed time to process things," he suggested. "He needed to decide on his own to come back to us. After all, there's no forcing a vampire to do anything, especially not Sasuke."

Naruto snickered. "Ain't that the truth. I guess everything you guys said didn't fall on deaf ears then."

"I think it was less what we said and more what you did," Kiba said softly.

Naruto snorted. "Please, I don't even know what _happened_. I have no idea what crazy shit is going on with your family," he pointed out, perhaps somewhat bitterly.

"You will," Kiba assured. "If this is any sign, Sasuke will be yours soon."

Naruto just had to snap his head to Kiba and deny the fact that he wanted Sasuke to begin with. After all, why would he want such a bastard? Not that he didn't. We all know he does. He wasn't ready to admit that to Kiba yet though! What, was it written across his forehead? "I have a huge, unreasonable crush on a real bastard named Sasuke and I'm trying my damnedest to get close to him even though he's kind of hated me up until now!" Naruto didn't have a chance to express his fake indignation though because Sasuke decided to make his presence known in the middle of Naruto's head-snap.

"You should really stop talking about people behind their backs," Sasuke said coolly. And, of course, he had to successfully startle both men into yelping and jumping in their seats again. "—especially when it's me," he added.

When they turned to look at him, Sasuke only smirked. Both Naruto and Kiba cleared their throats nervously, but Sasuke's face only seemed to relax further. Naruto was unsure of how he felt about this. It was just so weird to see Sasuke looking content for so long of a stretch in time. Ignoring the men, who were looking guiltier than all hell, Sasuke retook his seat and began to read his book. He was really only pretending though. It was just a good excuse to covertly watch Naruto, not that the blond had any clue he was under surveillance.

Kiba easily dove back into his own book, but he looked much more lively than before. Sasuke had done some good, Naruto decided. Coming to sit with them like this had brought a bit of life back into Kiba. It was a statement saying that Sasuke was striving to be a different man. The anti-social, I-hate-everything, don't-even-look-at-me-without-my-permission Sasuke was making a slow retreat. He was attempting to be the Sasuke that he used to be, the Sasuke that Kiba had once known; and he was doing it for Kiba's sake, and for Ren's sake too. Naruto knew now that all Kiba had really needed was for Sasuke to come back to him. After that date, Kiba had been emptied completely. Now that he had both Gaara _and_ Sasuke back in _some_ way though, Naruto could just see how much happier that had made his friend.

Naruto went right back to "reading" too. After a short while, he was back to rubbing his wound restlessly as he thought about the night that he'd been attacked in his apartment. He could feel anger at Kankuro boiling up. Just before he got really riled up though, he started to feel oddly soothed. He began rubbing his wound more roughly as he delved deeper and deeper into thought. Soon, he was feeling nothing but pleasant, soothing emotions though. He was aware of how frustrated and unhappy he _wanted_ to feel, but he just couldn't reach those emotions. It was like a wave of calmness was washing over him slowly, growing steadily heavier. It wasn't necessarily that he _couldn't_ feel angry or anything. It was more like he didn't _want_ to, like something was holding him back. Come to think of it, he had been noticing it happen for a while. Sometimes when he was stressing about an assignment or if something else was riling him up, he would just suddenly feel calm. Actually, he really only ever felt that particular way when he was around—

"Hey, dobe," Sasuke said suddenly, interrupting Naruto's thoughts.

Naruto startled slightly, accidentally bumping his foot against Sasuke's leg under the table. As human and ignorant as he was, Naruto completely missed how that simple little touch affected Sasuke. It actually took Sasuke a few moments to right himself enough to speak again, not that Naruto was any the wiser.

"Stop assaulting your wound," Sasuke said. "You make it harder to heal when you keep bothering it like that."

"Huh?" Naruto asked vacantly. Then he realized that he was rubbing his wound _again_. He sighed and removed his hand. "I can't help it," he grumbled.

"I know," Sasuke said. "I can tell." He left it at that and stared back down at his book.

Naruto sighed and looked back down at his book too, hopefully to read it for real this time. He couldn't help it when he started to wonder what was happening to him though. What was this wound doing to him? Why did it feel so strange? And why was it just this one wound and not the other one too? And Sasuke... Sasuke...

"Don't call me dobe," Naruto demanded as a casual afterthought. He completely missed the smile that Sasuke hid behind his book.

* * *

Naruto sighed with exasperation and flopped face forward on his bed. He was officially fed up with his entire wardrobe. He could not decide what the hell to wear. The whole scenario felt like déjà vu. Why was it that new things involving Sasuke always made him this way? First, it was meeting Sasuke for the very first time as the mysterious artist of that mysterious painting. Now, it was introducing Sasuke to all of his friends. This really shouldn't have been so damn hard for Naruto. He had been on plenty of outings with his friends already. He knew that they were a pretty chill group. Everyone always dressed casually—as if you could really take such a big group of college students anywhere fancy enough to dress up anyway—so why was he worrying so much?! He already knew that they liked him. Who was he trying to impress? Well, there was... No! No way! He was _not_ trying to impress Sasuke! Sasuke wouldn't give two shits about what he wore anyway!

He groaned, wishing that Kiba would just show up at his apartment already. Naruto knew that Kiba would put him straight. He'd either just pick out the clothes, or at least make Naruto feel less anxious about it. Seeing as he had been expecting a guest, Naruto didn't find it all that strange to hear a voice suddenly speaking to him.

"Dobe, stop bothering your wound."

"Don't call me that," Naruto answered automatically.

It took a few long seconds before he understood the situation fully. That was definitely _not_ Kiba's voice, and Kiba would definitely _not_ call him a dobe. When did Sasuke's presence become so _natural_ to him that he could answer so easily when the bastard so obviously snuck into his home without any invitation and called him a dobe? Not really all that startled or shocked—or, perhaps, unable to be, considering he felt his mood being smoothed again—Naruto sat up slowly, asking, "What are you doing here?"

"If you don't get dressed, we'll be late," Sasuke said simply, ignoring Naruto's question.

"You know I didn't invite you into my home, right?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke began rummaging through Naruto's closet. "How casual are you going?" he asked.

Naruto's mind was drawn to Sasuke's clothes. Sasuke dressed semi-casually, but he never dressed too casual no matter what. He wore a nice leather jacket, and his black jeans were hugging him in all the right ways. His jet black hair was sticking out in lazy spikes in all its unruly glory, only adding to the sexy, I-just-jumped-off-the-back-of-my-Ducati look. Careful to stay within his normal, semi-casual look, he wore all black, low-top converse. Naruto had to admit that black could be a bit depressing for him. It always made him look like a really sad puppy or something. It looked really fucking good on Sasuke though. It suited him very well. The contrast of pale skin and dark eyes that were always shining with just a hint of auburn also suited Sasuke very well. Was the animal in Sasuke really so relentless that his eyes could never truly rest? Had the red hue just become his new normal? Speaking of red hues, Sasuke's lips were a perfectly kissable shade of red themselves. Picking up on the change in Naruto's aura, Sasuke half-turned to look over his shoulder and smirk at the blond. When he did that with his lips, when he smiled like that right at Naruto... well, Naruto could hardly contain himself!

"I'll go with really casual," Sasuke decided. Naruto furrowed his brows and blinked a few times as he slowly stopped his admiration of Sasuke to come back to reality. "What color do you want?" Sasuke asked, turning back to the closet and rummaging through the clothes again.

"How did you even get in here?" Naruto asked, suddenly put back on track.

"Black?" Sasuke asked, completely ignoring Naruto's question and focusing on his own.

"Or where I even live?" Naruto asked.

"Blue?" Sasuke asked, still ignoring Naruto's questions.

"Or even what _room_ I live in?" Naruto asked.

"Orange?" Sasuke and Naruto both paused. Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at Naruto's face and nodded. "Orange it is," he said decidedly.

"What? How do you know I even want orange?" Naruto asked loudly while Sasuke pulled the shirt off its hanger. He turned around and raised a brow at Naruto, throwing the orange tee at the blond.

"I'm a vampire, Naruto," he said simply.

"Yeah, that explains everything," Naruto retorted sarcastically.

Sasuke sighed. "I could sense your uneasiness from a mile away, and I don't even live that far. You were practically screaming for help. You have a window, so I opened it. I could hunt you down anywhere you went. You wear orange every other day, but your heart did fluctuate when I said that color and you stopped talking. You obviously wanted it," Sasuke explained.

Naruto stared at him blankly. Now that he had a good view of Sasuke's front, he could see that the dark grey, button-up shit that Sasuke wore also hugged him in all the right places. For a few seconds, Naruto was lost. Eventually, he was able to gather his wits enough to put on his shirt though. When the shirt was down over his head and he could see Sasuke again, Naruto saw that Sasuke was smirking at him. Unbeknownst to Naruto, Sasuke was enjoying just how flustered Naruto seemed to get around him.

"What?" Naruto asked, feeling self-conscious before Sasuke and shifting uncomfortably.

"Nothing," Sasuke said simply. Naruto began to fidget, and then Sasuke's face hardened. "Stop agitating it, dobe," he said sternly.

Naruto stopped the hand working at his wound and sighed. "I can't help it," he groaned. "I don't even notice when I'm doing it. I just do it all the time."

"I know," Sasuke replied.

"How would you know?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"I'm a vampire," was Sasuke's reply. He checked his watch and then tsked. "If we don't leave now, we'll be late."

"We're gonna be late anyway," Naruto pointed out, putting on his dark orange and worn converse.

"Not if I can help it," Sasuke argued. "You may be fine with projecting a lazy appearance, but I take pride in being prompt."

"So you think we're gonna make it all the way across town in less than three minutes?" Naruto asked.

"I will," Sasuke replied, "and, since you're with me, you will too."

"I don't _try_ to be late, just so you know," Naruto argued, standing up and kicking the clothes on the floor around to look for his jacket. "I was gonna try to be on time."

"What? You thought _you_ were gonna be able to make it all the way across town in less than three minutes before I showed up?" Sasuke asked mockingly. "You call laying on your bed five minutes before you're supposed to be there trying to be on time? And what are you doing?"

"I was waiting for Kiba!" Naruto defended, kicking his way across the room. "And I'm looking for my jacket."

"Kiba is already on his way to the rink, so he's not coming over," Sasuke informed. "And would it kill you to bend over and _pick up_ the clothes?"

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, abandoning his search and turning back toward Sasuke. "He could have warned me, y'know," he grumbled and crossed his arms across his chest to pout.

"I told him not to come," Sasuke admitted, spotting Naruto's jacket and throwing it at the blonde's head.

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed, taking the jacket off his head and pulling it on. "That's not your job!" he complained. "You can't just do that because you want to!"

"Well, I did, so sue me," Sasuke retorted, grabbing Naruto by the wrist and leading him toward the front door. "Just do it while we're leaving."

Naruto rolled his eyes, but found himself smiling. Why was he smiling? It was that weird sensation again, always regulating hid mood without his permission.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he locked his door.

"Hn?" was his dry reply.

Naruto turned around to face Sasuke with a serious look. "What are you doing to me?"

Sasuke furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You're a vampire. You should know," Naruto replied sarcastically.

"I'm not doing anything to you, dobe," Sasuke assured.

"Don't call me that," Naruto demanded.

"Sure thing, dobe," Sasuke retorted.

Naruto sighed. "See? I can't even be mad that you're calling me a dobe," he pointed out. "How are you doing that?"

"I'm not," Sasuke insisted. "You're doing it on your own. Now, get on my back," Sasuke instructed, turning around and offering his back to Naruto.

"What?!" Naruto blurted out. "You're giving me a piggy back ride? You think _that's_ gonna get us there faster?"

"Just do it, dobe," Sasuke demanded.

Naruto snorted but conceded. "If you insist," he said, and then he jumped up on Sasuke's back. "It's not li—" Instantly, Sasuke sprang into action and Naruto's breath caught. He could see the world moving by at an impossible speed, but it felt as if Sasuke was just sauntering along easily. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on Sasuke. "I forgot," he whispered. "You can move at the speed of light."

Suddenly, Sasuke came to stop and dropped Naruto. "Not quite, but close enough," he replied. "It's just around this corner now." He started straightening his clothes, even though they were perfectly in order, and Naruto watched him closely. Sasuke was so poised and graceful. After a few moments, Sasuke interrupted Naruto's admiration of him to say, "Let's go." Naruto's focus couldn't be so easily drawn though. He only moved after Sasuke because he didn't want to lose sight of that very admirable physique. Completely enraptured by Sasuke and impervious to the world around, Naruto stayed a pace or two behind Sasuke in order to admire him properly. Sasuke simply smirked, very pleased with this behavior.

"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed. "You're actually on time! That's an Uzumaki first!" Naruto was successfully plucked from his head only when Sakura pulled him into a hug. Sasuke shifted beside them, catching Sakura's attention. She pulled away from Naruto immediately and grinned. "Who's your friend?" she asked enthusiastically.

"This is Sasuke," Naruto announced loud enough for everyone to hear, though he sounded a little dazed.

"Sakura Haruno!" Sakura said quickly, batting her eyelashes wildly at Sasuke. That brought Naruto to attention.

"Uh, you okay, Sakura?" he asked. "Looks like you got something in your eye."

Sakura scowled at Naruto. "I don't!" she snapped. "Unless... Could you check for me, Sasuke?" she asked, leaning in ridiculously close to the man. Sasuke gently placed both of his hands on her shoulders to stop her from advancing any further. If she did, they'd be kissing. He was positive that he wasn't so weak that he'd be tempted to bite just from that, but there was no point in teasing a bull.

Unaware that Sasuke actually had impeccable control over his urges—despite how he'd reacted around Naruto for the duration of their acquaintance—Naruto began to panic immediately. He just assumed that such proximity would make it difficult for Sasuke to control his thirst. After all, Sasuke had been provoked without even being that close to a human throat before in Naruto's experience. Naruto had no idea what exactly triggered the animal in a vampire, but he would guess that Sakura's current position to Sasuke was on the list. She was practically exposing her throat for the taking! Sasuke showed no signs of stress though. He looked absolutely fine. Naruto furrowed his brows confusedly, maybe even with a little annoyance. Why wasn't Sasuke freaking out?

"I think Naruto's right," Sasuke agreed. "It looks like you _do_ have something in your eye."

Sakura froze and frowned. She really hadn't thought that out yet. Before she could think of what to do next that would get her even closer to Sasuke, Ino jumped in and shoved her out the way.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka," Ino declared, thrusting one hand toward Sasuke. "Sooo nice to meet you," she said brightly, giggling like the love-struck girl she was.

Sasuke shook Ino's hand politely, perhaps even lingering for a bit longer than necessary. "Nice to meet you too, Ino," he replied, and Ino just melted. Even Sakura, who had been about to launch a counter attack at Ino, had to stop and admire the silkiness of Sasuke's voice. Hell, even Naruto was hard pressed not to swoon at the sound. Sasuke could be really dreamy if you weren't on your guard. The sound of both girls sighing in unison pulled Naruto away from any Sasuke-induced dreamland that he may have been entering though. Despite the feeling of peace that tried to claim him, Naruto was suddenly very irritated.

Stepping between Sasuke and the girls determinedly, Naruto announced, "Let's not monopolize Sasuke, girls!" Reacting to the death glare he was receiving from both women, he added in his most cheerfully innocent voice, "Let's go! I can't wait to get in the rink!"

"Yeah!" Kiba agreed just as cheerfully. "Let's go already!"

Naruto then noticed for the first time the company in which Kiba was in, and his jaw dropped in shock. That familiar red head of hair didn't look so happy to be out on an ice skating expedition. If the way he was glaring at Sasuke was any indication, then he was especially unhappy about having to deal with the bastard's presence too. When Kiba grabbed Gaara's hand and started tugging him away though, Naruto swore that he saw the hint of a smile cross Gaara's face though. He was just about to turn and comment on that to Sasuke when he was interrupted by a flurry of pink and blonde knocking him right out of the way.

"Walk with me, Sasuke!" Ino suggested, grabbing one of his hands.

"No, walk with me!" Sakura insisted, grabbing his other hand.

Both girls glared at each other across Sasuke's chest. Naruto was sure that Sasuke would break any moment now. If the fact that they were human and full of blood wasn't enough to put Sasuke on edge, then the fact that they were absolutely annoying surely would be. Sasuke didn't break though. He simply smiled sweetly at the girls in that dreamy, charming way.

"Why don't I just walk with you both?" he asked.

"Okay," the two women sighed in unison, and the three began walking after the group.

Naruto stared on in shock after them. Did he really just see that happen? Was this _really_ Sasuke? Sasuke would _never_ let any two people ever hang onto him like that, and he would certainly never speak to them so sweetly or smile at them so kindly either! This was just ri-fucking-diculous! Just as Naruto was transitioning from shocked to thoroughly annoyed, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder and said, "Come on, dobe. Don't get left behind."

Naruto ground his teeth. "Don't call me that!" he called back and stalked along after the trio. He was more than glad that the ice skating rink was only down the street from where they had all met up because he could take no more of Ino and Sakura's incessant babbling or the sickening laughs that Sasuke graced them with. God, he was just so fucking _different_, and Naruto kind of hated it. Maybe that was mostly because it was directed at someone other than him though.

When they entered the building, Naruto continued to linger at the back of the group and act moody. Kiba and Gaara put their skates on beside each other while Kiba talked animatedly and Gaara _tried_ to look uninterested and failed. Hinata was covertly watching Naruto. Shikamaru and Chouji were complaining about how much work skating would be while TenTen tried to motivate them. Neji simply sat quietly and observed everyone else. Lee was enthusiastically trying to pay for Sakura, who was insisting that she would be skating with Sasuke. All the while, Ino was insisting that Sakura pay for her own damn skates. Sasuke finally decided to end the argument and offered to just pay for all of their skates. Lee was unable to back down from a challenge though.

"I admire your youthful generosity!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "I should be generous too! Instead, _I_ shall pay for all our skates!" Then, he promptly handed the cashier a wad of money. "Five pairs please!" he demanded excitedly.

For the first time since the beginning of the evening, Naruto saw Sasuke falter. For a moment, he scowled. Naruto had no idea what that scowl meant, but he was glad that Sasuke wasn't smiling anyway, even if just for that second. He really didn't like all the attention that Sasuke was getting. Sasuke's new attitude was definitely strange, but Naruto did want to use it to his advantage. Maybe he could get some answers out of Sasuke... or, better yet, maybe he could use it to actually get genuinely _close_ to Sasuke. That had seemed like an impossible task from the second he had met Sasuke, and it had seemed even _more_ impossible after that double date Naruto so stupidly insisted on. It looked like the double date had actually done some good though. Although, he couldn't figure out just how much good it had done because he couldn't get within three freaking feet of Sasuke with his buffer zone of admirers. To say the least, Naruto was definitely in a sour mood.

Everyone jumped onto the mostly empty rink as they put their skates on. Kiba and Gaara mostly stuck together away from the rest of the group. They went between looking like they were having intense conversations and laughing. Well, Kiba was laughing. Gaara was just refraining from scowling. To Naruto's surprise, Gaara didn't spare one glance for Sasuke the entire time though. It looked like he was too wrapped up in Kiba to remember that the asshole was even there. TenTen kept near Shika and Chouji, trying her best to keep them motivated and succeeding. The three looked like they were having a blast. Neji tagged along beside them only because his girlfriend would have had a cow if he didn't. Sakura and Ino were both latched onto one of Sasuke's arms. Lee, of course, skated around the trio like a madman and tried to impress Sakura with his skill while Naruto skulked along behind them.

After a while, everyone but Kiba and Gaara had ended up skating leisurely along in a group. They all took their turns asking Sasuke questions and laughing at everything he said like it was the best fucking thing they'd ever heard. Naruto kept himself at the back of the pack, glaring at everyone who was so fucking _enthralled_ with Sasuke. Hinata was the only one who skated behind him, working up the nerve to ask the blonde to skate with her alone. After a short while, Sasuke saw his escape when Sakura and Ino began fighting over who thought Sasuke was funnier. The two women finally detached from his arms and everyone began to disperse again, just as they normally did when Sakura and Ino got really into it. When Sasuke was finally freed, he slowed down his pace to less than a snail and called for Naruto over his shoulder, looking back and smirking at the blond. "Hey, dobe?"

"What?" Naruto asked as begrudgingly as he could, determined to be angry at the bastard for being so... likable. God, that was _so_ weird!

"Hurry up and come skate with me," Sasuke said.

Not wanting to look as eager as he felt, Naruto meandered up to Sasuke's side slowly, scowling the entire time. He was sure that the ruse was doing him no good though. After all, Sasuke was a vampire. He would have heard the very second that Naruto's heart sped up. He would have seen his fingers fidgeting nervously. There was no hiding that. Still, Naruto pretended to be uninterested anyway because the bastard really deserved it.

After a few seconds of skating side by side in silence while Naruto glared ahead of them, Sasuke asked, "What's your problem?"

Naruto scoffed. "I have no problem. You're making it impossible for me to feel anything but rainbows and butterflies lately," he said.

"I told you," Sasuke said. "You're doing that all on your own. Plus, you don't look like you're feeling rainbows and butterflies right now."

"Whatever," Naruto grumbled. "You should know exactly what I'm feeling, bastard."

Sasuke smothered a smirk. "I told you not to come if you don't like skating," he said.

Naruto rolled his eyes and sneered. "That's your solution?" he asked. "Instead of just stepping away from your fanclub for a second, you'd rather just send me home?"

"I did step away from them," Sasuke pointed out. "They were annoying me," he admitted.

"And yet you keep melting them with your charming laugh and smoldering eyes," Naruto retorted bitterly.

"What's the problem with that?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing," Naruto grumbled.

"I'm being nice," Sasuke said.

"If you wanted to try being nice, you could have just started with me and Kiba!" Naruto snapped. "You didn't have to start with everyone else under the sun!"

"I did start with you," Sasuke argued calmly, so calmly that it made Naruto even more furious. "I hung out with you at the library."

"The library!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing his hands up dramatically and nearly knocking himself off balance. He managed to catch himself on the arm that he hadn't even realized Sasuke had offered though. "That was stupid," he went on irritably. When he noticed what he was clinging to, he wrinkled his nose in dismay and pushed the offending appendage away. "We were just reading," he added, grumbling unhappily and trying to fight a blush.

"_You_ were rubbing your wound," Sasuke corrected easily. Naruto would have had no idea to what degree Sasuke's heart took off though. One simple touch. That was all it ever took.

"Oh, shut up!" Naruto said loudly, shoving Sasuke in the shoulder.

"Don't be so jealous," Sasuke teased with a smirk.

Naruto stopped, and Sasuke followed in suit, turning to face Naruto. For a moment, Naruto just stood there looking like a deer in headlights. Then, he exclaimed, "I'm not jealous!" The blush did nothing to help his case though.

"Could've fooled me," Sasuke replied with a shrug.

Naruto shoved Sasuke hard in the chest. Instead of toppling over, Sasuke simple moved back a couple of feet, so smoothly that it looked like he had _intended_ to do it. That really ticked Naruto off. He growled and shoved Sasuke again, only to get the same dissatisfying result. "Just fall!" he demanded, shoving Sasuke again much harder.

This time, Sasuke caught him by the elbows and pulled their bodies close together. "I'm a vampire," he said. "Remember?" Naruto scowled, even though his heart was pounding a million miles a minute. "I don't think _you_ can knock me off balance," Sasuke added smugly.

Naruto rolled his eyes and snatched his arms from Sasuke's grasp harshly. He skated to the edge of the ice and got off the rink to plop down and sulk on a bench by himself. Slowly, Sasuke meandered over toward the pouting blond. He leaned against the wall that separated the benches and the ice.

"If it makes you feel any better," he began, "you were my first friend." Naruto begrudgingly looked up at Sasuke and saw that his features had hardened, even though the words were soft. He could see that the easiness of Sasuke's mood was clearly wearing off. "Since I'm trying to be nice now," Sasuke went on, "I should be able to talk more openly too, right?" Naruto nodded slowly. "So when you tried to help me at Tony's that night, it made a difference," Sasuke admitted. "That night, you were the only one who really got to me; and the nights following, you were the only one that I really thought about." Sasuke's face was deadly serious now. "You were what made me decide to try out a new lifestyle. I've been practicing this being normal and having friends thing, but forgive me if I'm not perfect at it right away. You were my first friend in eight years."

"So why have you been avoiding me like the plague since then?" Naruto asked automatically.

Sasuke shrugged. "I didn't know what to do," he admitted. "I've been doing things the same way for a long time. You made me change that up, and I didn't know how to deal with it. Still don't." Sasuke looked down at his hands. "I just wanted to change because you remind me so much of..." He clenched his jaw and let the sentence die. Naruto could see what little difference Sasuke had strived to make so far slipping away. He could literally see Sasuke closing back up again. It must have been the name: Ren. It must still have been so hard. Well, of course it was. It had only been a few days. Sasuke couldn't make a 180 in that short of a time frame.

And what was Naruto doing? He was getting mad at Sasuke for being good at being normal and making friends. He was chastising Sasuke for fitting in with his group. Why wasn't he supporting Sasuke? Didn't Sasuke just make it real clear that Naruto could actually do that now, that he had a real chance to be close to the guy? What the fuck was Naruto waiting for? Sasuke started shifting to lift himself off the wall, having decided that he'd made enough effort for one day and that he'd rather spend the rest of his evening in the company of no one at all. Naruto jumped up and grabbed both of Sasuke's arms though, pinning them down so that the two men were now face to face across the wall.

"I'm just not used to this new Sasuke," Naruto said softly.

"Me neither," Sasuke agreed. "It's weird for me too."

"I know. You said I helped at the bar though, right?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. "Then, I'll try to help now too. I just don't really know how. It's always been tense between us. Where do we start with this whole friends thing?"

"This is a good spot," Sasuke said, glancing down at Naruto's hands, which still held onto his arms firmly. Naruto blushed lightly when he followed Sasuke's gaze. "I don't feel like I can go anywhere when you're..." Sasuke trailed off and simply gazed at Naruto, which only made the blond blush even harder. Eventually, Sasuke smirked. "I think you get my point," he said.

"What, can't say it out loud? Too chicken?" Naruto teased, attempting to ease the tension slightly.

Sasuke chuckled lightly, but whispered, "Yes, actually." Naruto's smile fell, but Sasuke's did not. "I am too afraid," he said, covertly slipping his arms free from Naruto's grip. "Maybe you can teach me how to be more courageous though," he suggested. Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but Sasuke shushed him. "Save it for another time," he said. "You won't be able to get it out."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Sasuke~" Sakura sang loudly.

Naruto snorted when he saw the pink-haired girl approaching from behind Sasuke. "How'd you know?" he asked. Sasuke simply raised a brow. "Right," Naruto said, grinning. "You're a vampire."

Sasuke's smile turned into a momentary scowl when Sakura finally reached them and clasped a hand on his shoulder, pulling herself close to him. The scowl dropped the second that Sasuke turned to face her though. Instead, he sported another one of his charming smiles. Naruto was not so annoyed anymore though, now that he knew Sasuke was only being polite. He really was awfully good at this for someone who had just spent the last eight years being completely unapproachable.

"Come skate with me!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Sure, Sakura," Sasuke agreed, and Sakura squealed with joy. She began to drag him away, but he glanced over his shoulder at Naruto.

"Coming, dobe?" he asked, and Naruto couldn't suppress his stupid grin.

"Yeah, come on Naruto!" Sakura agreed. She didn't seem to mind, as long as Naruto didn't try to hold Sasuke's hand or anything. Naruto nodded and hopped back on the ice in much higher spirits. He took his rightful place _beside_ Sasuke, as opposed to trailing behind.

"I wanted to ask if you like Halloween," Sakura told Sasuke excitedly. "You should come to our Halloween party! Ino and I are hosting it! We just decided!"

"I would love to, Sakura," Sasuke said kindly. "Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome!" she said happily, melting at the smile on Sasuke's face. "Of course Naruto and Kiba will come too, right?" she added hopefully, looking across Sasuke to Naruto. She already knew her friends would say yes though. Well, at least Naruto would. Kiba hadn't been so reliable. This was the first time he'd actually agreed to go out with them. It might have been too much to expect him to come to the party.

"Of course!" Naruto exclaimed without hesitation. He forgot how annoying Sakura's crush on Sasuke was in favor of how exciting the prospect of a party with his friends would be, especially if this new Sasuke was going to be there. "I'll make sure Kiba comes too," he added.

"Thank god!" Sakura exclaimed. "That boy really needs to come out more often!"

"I agree!" Ino exclaimed, arriving and wedging herself in between Sakura and Sasuke.

"Ino!" Sakura growled.

"All of us will be together and dancing youthfully into the night!" Lee exclaimed, arriving next and wedging himself in between Sakura and Ino. "We will be as happy as springtime!"

"Leeeeee!" Sakura groaned.

"Calm down, Lee," TenTen said as she skated up and wedged herself between Naruto and Sasuke, throwing an arm around them both. "Although, I am pretty excited about it too, especially if Sasuke is going!"

Neji placed his hands between Sasuke and TenTen and then spread them wide. He didn't have to squeeze in between them to make his point any more obvious. Wanting to remain in good standing with everyone, which included Neji, and also looking for any excuse to get next to his dobe again, Sasuke took Neji's gesture as a cue to skate around to Naruto's other side. Neji nodded appreciatively at Sasuke—really, his girlfriend could be too flirty sometimes—and took the spot where Sasuke had just been. Naruto couldn't help the way his heart soared when Sasuke skated so close to him that they accidentally brushed against each other a few times. They were just accidents and it wasn't like he suddenly had Sasuke's heart in a bag, but he felt giddy anyway. Lacking the abilities that Sasuke was blessed with, Naruto had no way of knowing just how calculated those brushes had been or just how easily Sasuke's heart soared to match his though.

"OI! What's going on?!" Kiba called from behind everyone. Naruto turned to look at his friend, beaming. He was more than happy to see Kiba's spirit finally return. He had been waiting for this Kiba to come back for far too long now. He wondered what could possibly make this evening any better.

"Ino and Sakura are hosting a Halloween party!" Lee said excitedly.

"Awesome!" Kiba exclaimed. "I'll even bring a guest," he added, smiling and nudging Gaara in the side. Gaara simply sighed.

Naruto thought that it would have been the perfect time for Kiba to break out his trademarked huff. That would have been the ultimate sign that he truly was back to his old self. Even if the huff never came, Naruto would still smile easily though because things were going so well. Then, as fate would have it, Kiba huffed like he always used to do and nudged Gaara again; and then, just to prove that the universe was on Naruto's side, Gaara actually smiled. It was a smile reserved solely for Kiba, and Naruto could tell that there was no one else on the planet to Gaara other than Kiba right at that moment. Things were finally falling back into place. Maybe they were even lining up better than they used to be.

Naruto truly could rest easy tonight.


	13. Chapter 13: Boo

**A/N:** Instead of following Naruto around like a lost puppy dog waiting to discover the truth, we're gonna focus a little more on Sasuke and what's he's doing and feeling. Yay! Be excited! Also, this chapter reminds you that this is a yaoi fanfic lol next chapter will almost definitely result in me finally changing the rating from T to M. That is not a promise for anything explicit though. I do _not_ foresee a lemon in the next chapter. Do I foresee a lemon before this fic ends? I don't know yet, but the prospects are likely :)

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Boo**

Sasuke buttoned the last button of his black shirt and smoothed the fabric down nicely. He checked himself in the mirror and then moved out of sight to put on his shoes. He peeked back into the mirror to tousle his hair before moving away again and putting on his leather coat. Then, he checked himself fully in the mirror once more. You know, just for good measure. After deciding that he looked perfect, just as he always did, he finally left his mirror and descended into his kitchen to have a drink before leaving. It wouldn't do to be around so many humans without having had at least one packet of blood. Even if supplemental blood wasn't half as satisfying as real blood when it was warm and seeping from the flesh of a human, it would have to do. After all, this was his new life.

After finishing two packets of cold and only slightly decent blood, he crossed to his front door with the intention to leave. He felt the impulsive need to speed back up into his bedroom and check himself in the mirror yet _again _though, but he resisted that urge. Instead, he left the apartment at top speed while cursing himself underneath his breath. It was just a Halloween party for god's sake. There was no need for him to be so damn anxious or anything. Although, it wasn't a crime to want to look good, was it? Then again, why was this particular evening such a big deal? It was just Kiba and his friends... and Naruto... not that Naruto really mattered all that much. It was just the dobe. He was nothing to fret over. Right? Right.

Within moments, Sasuke was standing in front of that particular dobe's building. His life's tribulations came to a halt as he rationalized that he was being far too analytic. He decided that he would do no more of that for the rest of the night. He would be as calm and confident as he always was and just go with the flow, even if that wasn't exactly his specialty. That was more along Naruto's line of work. It would work out though. After all, this is Sasuke we're talking about. When did things _not_ work out? After taking a deep breath and releasing his petty troubles, Sasuke buzzed Naruto's apartment number.

"Who is it?" Naruto asked over the intercom.

"I've come to suck your blood," Sasuke replied in his best Dracula accent.

Shit. Was that too much? Did he just make a complete fool of himself trying to make a joke? He wasn't so good at jokes. Actually, he was terrible at jokes. He wasn't funny at all. He'd never been a particularly funny guy. He was always too serious. Did Naruto dislike that about him? Was he too serious for Naruto? Damn! Why did he have to go and try to make a joke when he was so shitty at that? Wait. Was he being too analytic again? Or had not being analytic enough caused him to say something completely moronic? When Naruto's voice came back, it was laughing a laugh that made Sasuke feel reassured. He'd forgotten how easy Naruto was to please.

"Only if you buy me dinner first," Naruto joked. "I'm not so cheap y'know."

Sasuke chuckled lightly. "You gonna let me in, dobe?" he asked.

"Don't call me that!" Naruto demanded, but his tone of voice was still light and cheerful.

"Sure thing, dobe," was Sasuke's reply. Naruto could practically _hear_ the smirk on his face.

"Tell me who the most handsome man on the earth is first," Naruto commanded playfully.

"Me," Sasuke answered easily. "Now let me in."

"Eh, that works too," Naruto said agreeably. He buzzed Sasuke in, and Sasuke was up the steps and knocking on the door before Naruto had even had a chance to stop buzzing the guy in. Naruto opened the door and stared at Sasuke incredulously. "Holy shit," he said, stepping aside and letting Sasuke in.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"That must have been a world record!" Naruto replied.

Sasuke shrugged and smirked. "Probably."

"Must be nice to be a vampire," Naruto said flippantly, closing his door and brushing past Sasuke to go back into his bedroom.

"Not really," Sasuke said, following Naruto. He found it a bit hard to focus when the latter was walking around all shirtless and whatnot though. His just-out-of-the-shower hair and loose sleeping pants that he must have just thrown on were no help either.

"Why not?" Naruto asked as he turned and plopped down on his bed. Sasuke stopped to stand in front of him.

"It might be fun to move really fast and have extra-sensitive senses and all, but it comes with this annoying urge to kill you and drink all of your blood," Sasuke replied.

"Touche," Naruto said, leaning back on his hands.

"Why are you relaxing?" Sasuke asked. "You're not even dressed yet."

Naruto shrugged. "I thought I'd let you pick my outfit," he said. When Sasuke simply stared at him, he began to blush. Before he knew it, he was feeling compelled to rub at the back of his neck nervously and avert his suddenly very bashful gaze. How did Sasuke _do_ that to him?

"Aren't you going in costume?" Sasuke asked.

"I was gonna go as a fox, but I see that you're not in costume," Naruto pointed out timidly. "I didn't want you to be the only one and feel awkward or anything. I figured it would seem like a plan if we both said we were just going as ourselves."

Sasuke fought the urge to grin at Naruto, but he couldn't help it if the dobe was kind of, at risk of sounding like a swooning girl, warming his insides. Naruto was so thoughtful. He had no obligation to Sasuke. If anything, he should have wanted to see Sasuke struggle after the kind of awful behavior Sasuke had displayed since they'd met. Naruto didn't want that though. He was very mindful of Sasuke. It wasn't really a shock to Sasuke or anything. He had already known that Naruto was the kind of guy to be kind, caring, and compassionate, even if the other person didn't exactly deserve that kind of treatment. It was a whole new thing when Sasuke was the object of that treatment though. Having Naruto think enough of him to be concerned about his feelings made Sasuke want to grin like a moron. He refrained though.

Instead, Sasuke raised a questioning brow and asked, "What makes you think I'm not in costume?"

Naruto raised his own skeptical brow. "Uh, the clothes you're wearing," he answered.

Sasuke twitched his upper lip and flashed his fangs. "I'm going as a vampire," he explained, "but I'll be damned if I give in to any of that cliché bullshit that people associate us with."

"Of course," Naruto said, chuckling lightly. "How did I miss that? It's so you."

"What do you want me to pick out for you?" Sasuke asked as he walked over to Naruto's closet.

"The whole outfit," Naruto replied.

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, who was staring somewhat solemnly down at the ground between his feet. He could feel the blonde's attitude shift strangely. "Maybe you should go as the fox," he suggested, looking for the solution to whatever had Naruto's attitude shifting so oddly.

Even though he tried to hide it, Sasuke could feel Naruto's apprehensiveness. Nonetheless, he agreed. "I guess I should," he said quietly.

So that wasn't the answer, Sasuke deduced. "Or maybe you can just go as my date," he suggested, diving into the closet and looking for some decent clothes to match his own. He didn't have to see Naruto's face to feel the uplift in his spirit.

"Why would I wanna do that?" Naruto asked, trying to sound less giddy than he felt... and failing.

Sasuke smiled to himself. Problem solved. The brightness was back. "Because I'm the most handsome man in world, and I'll make you look good," he answered. "You could wear rags and look like a king beside me."

Naruto snorted loudly. "Hah! Yeah right!"

Sasuke chuckled lightly. He felt some more of that warmth spreading within him. It was a new sensation, and he decided that it must have been Naruto. The blond had taken up residence inside Sasuke's chest. When he was bright like this, he warmed Sasuke's core. When his attitude did those weird shifts though—the ones that didn't seem like they had any real direct cause—Sasuke felt uneasy. Thus, it was his goal to preserve Naruto's light. He had to keep to dobe smiling because, frankly, it felt really good to be able to bask in his warmth. It had been a very long time since Sasuke had felt like this though. Was this friendship? Yes, he supposed that it was, and then some.

* * *

"Don't be nervous," Naruto said. "They're fun. They like you. You already know that. There's no reason to get nervous. They will think you look great. I know it. You'll be fine. It'll all be—"

"Dobe," Sasuke interrupted, "I'm not nervous."

Naruto rang the door bell. "Right. Of course you're not," he said.

If he were standing next to anyone else, Naruto wouldn't have seemed so anxious. He was standing next to Sasuke though, and Sasuke could feel all of Naruto's emotions vividly. He thought that he had gotten rid of that weird shift in Naruto's aura. Now it was back though. What did Sasuke have to do to eliminate it? Naruto was freaking out, but Sasuke couldn't understand _why._ These were his friends.

"You'll be fine," Sasuke assured quietly.

"God damnet," Naruto cursed as he made a sudden realization. "I forgot teeth." It seemed like a calm statement, but Sasuke could tell that it was enough to make Naruto want to abort this mission, if the feelings that he was trying so hard to hide were any indication. "Oh well," Naruto said, seemingly shrugging it off just as Ino answered the door.

"Sasuke!" she exclaimed, and then Naruto's mood went from anxious right to irritated. "I'm so glad you're here! You look so great! What are you?!"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto momentarily and retracted his teeth almost imperceptibly. "Myself," he said easily, choosing to abandon his costume idea so that Naruto didn't have to feel like an outcast. It wasn't like he needed anything else to be anxious about, since just being here, apparently, was a damn chore for the dobe. "Naruto and I—"

"Don't lie, Sasuke," Naruto interrupted, a big smile on his face. "Sasuke's a vampire. Come on, Sasuke. Show her your teeth."

Sasuke stared at Naruto questioningly for a moment. Why was he thwarting Sasuke's attempt to band with him? Naruto simply raised an expectant brow.

"OH!" Ino exclaimed when Sasuke finally extended his teeth. "WOW! That's so cool! How does that thing work?! You must have spent a lot of money on such a trick!" Sasuke shrugged and forced himself to smile pleasantly, even if all he was really interested in was what Naruto could be thinking. "What about you Naruto?" Ino asked eagerly. "Are you a vampire too? You have some of those fancy things?"

"Nahhhh," Naruto said lightly, "I'm not flashy like this guy. I'm just me."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Way to be cheap, Naruto." She moved aside to make room for the two to enter. "You still look good though!" she added as Naruto passed her.

"Don't I always?" Naruto replied with a grin. Sasuke could see right through it though.

There was no sincerity in that smile. It was fake, and it was sickening. In fact, it was so sickening that Sasuke found himself fighting the urge to scowl at the back of Naruto's head. A smile like that looked ugly on Naruto. How had Sasuke never noticed this before? Had he really paid so _little_ attention to Naruto? He felt like he had always been paying extra attention to the dobe simply because he was trying so hard to actually ignore him. Had he really been so blind though, even when he was so vigilant? Had he truly never seen signs of such a broken, fragile guy like these? Had he never noticed just how insincere that smile was or how forced that laughter seemed to be? Had Sasuke always been so clueless? Had they all?

"Why'd you interrupt me earlier?" Sasuke asked quietly while Ino took their coats away. "I was gonna say that we both just came as ourselves so that it seemed like a plan."

"Why would you do that?" Naruto asked, appearing to be genuinely clueless.

So the dobe was not only going to purposely deny Sasuke's help, but he was going to act stupid too. Now that they were doing the whole friends thing, Sasuke had felt their bond magnify tenfold. Vampire senses were extraordinary all the time. Most of the time, however, vamps could only pick up on minute changes in a person's aura unless they were paying special attention to that person. Sasuke could feel the tiniest shift in the wind when it came to Naruto though. Ever since that night at Tony's, Sasuke felt his connection to Naruto intensify extensively. He could read Naruto even more easily than before, so he could tell that Naruto knew exactly what he was doing when he deliberately interrupted Sasuke. Now Sasuke just had to figure what that reason was.

He rolled his eyes at Naruto. "You said that you wouldn't want me to feel awkward by being the only one not in costume," he pointed out. "I was just extending you the same courtesy. Why'd you deny it?"

"Why would I feel awkward?" Naruto asked. "These are all my friends. They won't care if I dress up or not. No need for me to feel social anxiety or anything," he said.

Sasuke really wished that he could just read Naruto's mind at this point. Every little thing that Naruto felt, Sasuke felt too. Even when they were literally miles apart, Sasuke was constantly tuned into Naruto on a subconscious level. He was even monitoring Naruto's vitals to look for even the slightest bodily reactions too. Even if he could catch Naruto in a lie or feel his emotional state of being so easily, he still didn't know what was going on in that head—and it seemed like there was an awful lot going on in there. Naruto wasn't half the dobe that he pretended to be. Now that things were slowly changing between them, their bond was only getting stronger by the second. So when Naruto laughed such a fake laugh and smiled such a fake smile, Sasuke couldn't help but notice. He couldn't help but be disturbed by it either.

"Dobe," he began, fully intending to call Naruto out and... well... he didn't really know, actually. He wasn't sure if he should be sympathetic or reprimanding or if maybe he should just pretend to be ignorant. He had to say something to Naruto, though, because whatever was going on inside that blonde's head seemed off to Sasuke, and he was afraid that all those things might be markers for something really huge in Naruto's life. Sasuke had an obligation to figure it out and at least try to offer help, didn't he? They were friends now. Isn't that what friends did? More importantly, Sasuke just wanted to be in on Naruto's secrets. If it brought them closer together, then who would complain?

"Sasuke! You _must_ have a drink!" Ino insisted, reappearing and interrupting Sasuke's half-baked speech.

She began dragging the man away from the entryway and into the living room, where the party was in full swing. Naruto's smile dropped immediately, and he scowled at the back of Ino's head as he trailed along behind the pair—something that Sasuke didn't have to see to recognize because he could feel it radiating from the blond.

"What do you prefer?" Ino asked once they made it to the drink station.

Sasuke looked over the bottles of alcohol quickly. "I don't know. What will you have, dobe?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at an annoyed Naruto, who tried to hide his disgruntled expression immediately. The emotion flooding his aura did not fade an ounce though.

"I'm a beer guy!" Naruto said brightly, wedging himself in between Sasuke and Ino to get to the keg.

"Sounds good to me," Sasuke decided, not at all disappointed by Naruto's obtrusive gesture. He smiled softly at the blond and touched his back ever so lightly in a covert attempt to lift his sour mood. Naruto paid him no mind though. Apparently, the keg required extra special attention, attention that could not be wasted on recognizing Sasuke's efforts. Sasuke was tempted to sigh bleakly at this disheartening failure. He hadn't really realized it, but it seemed like he was a bit more invested in Naruto than he had ever thought before.

"Are you sure you don't want something a little bit stronger though?" Ino asked, holding up a bottle of vodka and grinning at Sasuke across Naruto. "I do good with shots," she added with a wink.

"You do not!" Sakura refuted, appearing out of nowhere. She shoved Naruto out of they way to get in between Ino and Sasuke herself as she spoke. "You are a sloppy drunk, Ino," she said insultingly.

Luckily, Sasuke had already been anticipating Sakura's actions. Had it not been for him snaking an arm around the man's waist to steady him just moments before Sakura even had a chance to appear, Naruto would have been knocked over completely. His now full beer did become quite the dangerous weapon though, threatening to drench him completely as it began to topple over, but Sasuke had anticipated that as well. His hand was already wrapped around Naruto's, stilling the cup and keeping even a drop from spilling over the edge. That was how Naruto ended up pulled right up to Sasuke's chest with just his red solo cup to separate their hearts, one of which was pounding much, much, _much_ more furiously than the other.

"Vodka is your enemy," Sakura proclaimed in Ino's face. Then, she smiled a sinister smile. "Well, maybe I s_hould_ just let you down the whole bottle."

Sasuke thought that he would have been content to simply stay there like that. Hell, he might have even got a bit ballsy and tried to—

"Naruto!"

Deep breath. _I will not kill Ino. I will not kill Ino. I will not kill Ino_. Seemed like Sasuke had a new mantra for the night.

"Get Sakura a beer, won't you?" Ino asked, glaring steadily at her roommate. Even though neither woman looked away from the other to pay any mind to what kind of proximity that their friend and their crush were currently in, Naruto jumped and wiggled out of Sasuke's grip quickly anyway, as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Oh! Wait!" Ino went on to exclaim in a mock revelation, still very ignorant of what had just transpired between Naruto and Sasuke. "I forgot! Beer gives you gas!" she said insultingly.

Sakura gasped. "At least _I_ don't go—"

Ino slapped her hand over Sakura's mouth to cut her off. "Shut up!" she shrieked.

"Sakura!" Lee sang from somewhere across the room.

Sakura's eyes widened and Ino's narrowed evilly. Sakura began shaking her head frantically, begging her friend not to rat her out. She had been trying to avoid Lee all night. She was glad they were friends and all. He was a really great, fun guy. He was just a little too enthusiastic about his "love" for her, and it was ten times worse when he drank alcohol. Her pleading eyes did not affect Ino though.

"She's over here!" Ino shouted, waving her arm up in the air for Lee to spot.

Sakura growled at the blond, ripping the girl's hand from her mouth. "Dance with me!" she demanded of Sasuke. Sasuke was busy plotting a way to get that close to Naruto again though, too busy to respond right away. Naruto, on the other hand, was busy looking for the answers to life in his beer cup and fighting the blush that kept trying to invade his cheeks.

"No! Dance with me!" Ino exclaimed, snatching Sasuke's wrist.

When Ino and Sakura's bickering became too much to handle, which was fairly quickly, Sasuke made an executive decision. "I'll dance with you both," he suggested.

"NO!" the two women said in unison, equally disgusted. The look in Naruto's eyes as he snapped his head to attention echoed their displeasure.

Sasuke smiled that charming smile though. "Ladies," he nearly sang, and then their fate was sealed.

"Okay," they sighed at once, melting beside him.

An extremely drunk Lee showed up just in time to see Sasuke leading the two women out into the middle of the crowded room to dance, and an extremely jaded Naruto stood glaring at the same scene. In Sasuke's mind, an angry glare from Naruto was better than being ignored though. Some form of attention from the blond was all that he wanted. He also wanted to shut the women up because they were annoying. Plus, if he let Naruto build up the tension all by his lonesome, then Sasuke was sure that he'd eventually get his chance to be close to him again. The best part about it was that it would be of Naruto's own volition. That was what had Sasuke smirking. That made dancing with these women bearable.

"Wazgononn?" Lee asked. When Naruto didn't reply, he tried again. "Alllooo? I said wasgonnonnnom?" He hiccupped loudly. He was just about to shout at his blond friend until TenTen appeared out of nowhere.

"Lee!" she exclaimed, clasping the man on his shoulder. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Neji needs you for pong! Come on, you oaf!"

"Alright!" Lee exclaimed excitedly, forgetting about Sakura in an instant. "I shall beofservss!"

TenTen simply laughed happily and nodded her head. There was no use trying to actually understand Lee when he was drunk. It was better to just nod and agree. Lee hurried off toward the kitchen where Neji would be waiting for him.

"Oh! Naruto!" TenTen exclaimed happily. He turned his glare to TenTen and raised one intolerant eyebrow as if to ask 'What the fuck do you want'. TenTen simply smiled sweetly, seeming to completely miss the aura of death radiating off of him. "Hinata needs a partner, and I really suck at beerpong," she informed. "You play!"

Before Naruto could say no, TenTen started dragging him off toward the kitchen too. He sighed and sipped at his beer. This was going to be a long night. He could feel it.

"I got you a partner, Hinata!" TenTen exclaimed once they got to the beerpong table.

"O-Oh! H-Hi, N-Naruto," Hinata said shyly, blushing bright red. "I-I'm so glad that y-you want to p-play with me."

"Sure," Naruto grumbled half-heartedly. The only person he really cared to pretend to be happy around was Sasuke. He didn't want the other to see just how much he could affect Naruto. "Let's just get this going."

"O-Okay," Hinata said meekly.

As Naruto and Neji were deciding who would go first, Hinata glanced over to see TenTen winking at her and nodding encouragingly, causing her to flush an even deeper shade of red. For the entire game, Naruto kept glancing obsessively over at Sasuke, only to see him dancing with a new girl every time. Although, Ino and Sakura were never all that far away. With each new girl that Sasuke danced with, Naruto's attitude got worse. Not that he really cared, but they were losing the game drastically because of it. Hinata wasn't on her game either. She was too busy trying to make idle conversation with her crush. Naruto was unresponsive though. His answers were all noncommittal and vague. It didn't help that Lee was surprisingly awesome at pong when he was drunk either. It seemed like he was good at everything except talking.

"O-Oh," Hinata said timidly. "L-Looks like we l-lost."

Naruto's response was a mindless grunt, as he was too busy scowling at some redheaded whore dancing with Sasuke like a total slut. He narrowed his eyes at her. He really had to think of a way to get the bastard away from all these girls. They were just so possessive, like Sasuke was _theirs_ or something. Not that Sasuke was _his_ or anything... but he kind of was.

"I-I guess I can d-drink this then," Hinata said quietly.

"Naruto!" Neji hollered, snapping Naruto out of his daze.

"What? My turn?" Naruto asked.

Neji rolled his eyes. "You lost. Be a gentleman and drink all this shit. Don't make my little cousin do it all on her own," he demanded.

"Oh. Right," Naruto said as he stared at all the beer he had to drink for losing.

"If you were gonna stare at Sasuke the whole time, then why'd you even play?" Neji asked bluntly.

Naruto blushed but managed to hide it behind a loud snort. "Yeah right!" he exclaimed.

"Jealous of all the attention he's getting?" Neji asked.

"Please!" Naruto boomed. "I already know that I'm sexy!" he said confidently, following up with a hearty laugh. It must have been a good ruse because everyone began laughing along with him. "All right!" he said spiritedly. "Let's get smashed!" He started chugging all the beer quickly, leaving Hinata with none.

"I-I can h-help," she insisted, but Naruto simply shook his finger at her while he drank.

When he finished the last bit of beer, he dropped the cup onto the table and smiled at her. "Neji's right. I should be a gentleman. Don't you think?" he said, clapping Hinata on the shoulder. She blushed deeply. "Wow," he went on, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We really lost by a lot. I'm really starting to feel all that beer."

After a glance to TenTen for support, Hinata suggested that they play again. Naruto couldn't find it within him to say no. If he just purposely lost again, then he'd get to chug all the beer. If he was going to have to watch Sasuke's shenanigans all night, then he might as well be drunk. Plus, his friends clearly liked him better when he was laughing and joking around, even if he was just faking it. It was easier to fake when he was smashed too. After all, it was a party. It was time for him to get into the mood.

That was how Naruto ended up purposely losing three games in a row and refusing to let Hinata drink a single cup. After pong, Lee challenged Naruto to a competition to see who could chug a full beer the fastest. Naruto, of course, eagerly accepted. In fact, he eagerly accepted until he finally beat Lee on his fifth try. He even got to witness TenTen and Hinata go at it. Surprisingly, Hinata was a beast. She beat TenTen before TenTen was even halfway done with her beer. At that point, Naruto was feeling pretty drunk, so he didn't question it when Kiba appeared out of thin air and pulled him away for a little chat in a quiet corner of the kitchen.

"Naruto, you need to grow a pair of balls," Kiba said.

Naruto looked at him with a shocked expression. "Scuse me?" he asked, a little bit of a slur working its way into his voice.

"I said, grow some balls," Kiba repeated matter-of-factly.

"The fuck?" Naruto asked, feeling very offended. Then, he seemed to finally realize who he was talking to. "Kiba...?"

"Who else?!" Kiba said. "Are you really that drunk?"

"Wooooaaahhh," Naruto said dramatically. "When'd you get here? I haven't seen you all night!"

Kiba rolled his eyes, but he was smiling uncontrollably. "I've been around, with Gaara of course."

Naruto perked up. "Are you back together then?" he asked excitedly.

Kiba blushed. "Uh... Well... I don't know. This isn't about me anyway. It's about you," he said, evading the question skillfully. Although, a drunk Naruto wasn't that hard to fool.

"Right," Naruto said, nodding his head seriously. "It's about me not having any balls."

"Exactly," Kiba agreed.

"Wait! I'm offended!" Naruto realized.

Kiba shook his head. "Naruto, I'm trying to give you some advice," he said.

Naruto cocked his head to the side curiously. "About what?" he asked.

"The object of your affection," Kiba replied. Thoughtlessly, Naruto looked back over to Sasuke and scowled because now the bastard was emptying a _full_ bottle of vodka. Looked like Ino had gotten her way in the end. Naruto watched Sasuke down the bottle in record speed. When he was done, all the women around him cheered ecstatically and found ways to touch him suggestively. "This is the time, Naruto," Kiba said, earning Naruto's attention once more. "Now is the time to go for what you want. Before, it would have been too soon. Now, I think Sasuke is ready. So grow some balls or else someone else might get him for good."

Naruto suddenly realized what Kiba was saying to him in its entirety. "Woah!" he said, waving his hands defensively. "Th-that's not... I-I... I don't... I... Sasuke... He and I..."

"Can it," Kiba interjected. "Don't forget who you're talking to. I know I've been kinda vacant lately, but things are finally looking up for me again. I'm feeling like my old self, and I'm being a good friend and letting you know that it's time to man up." With that, Kiba nodded, smiled, and then walked away, leaving a stunned Naruto to stare blankly after him.

When Naruto looked back to Sasuke again, he was surprised to see the latter already looking right at him. That had been the first time that Sasuke had glanced at Naruto all night. Well, it was the first time that Naruto had seen him do it anyway. It made Naruto blush. Maybe Kiba was right though. Maybe it was finally time. Maybe Naruto just needed to man up and go for it. Those eyes were beckoning him. Sasuke wouldn't look away, and neither would Naruto. So it was no surprise that Naruto was completely oblivious to Hinata when she showed up at his side.

"Hey, N-Naruto," she said meekly. No reply, so she went on. "I-I was j-just thinking th-that m-m-maybe y-you w-would... um..." She glanced over at TenTen who nodded vigorously. "U-Uh... I-I... U-Uh... Oh, fuck it." She pulled the blond down and kissed him.

Naruto just barely caught the look of disgust that may or may not have crossed Sasuke's face before the man turned away. Being as drunk as he was, it took a few seconds for Naruto to realize that he was being kissed, and that it wasn't Sasuke kissing him. Immediately, but as politely as possible, he pulled away. Hinata stared at him, looking completely unfazed and confident. He wanted to smile at her, but he was sure that it came out as a grimace instead.

"Um... I... Hinata, I kind of like someone else already," Naruto said slowly. "I... I don't think... I mean... uh..."

"Oh," Hinata said quietly, her confidence deflating quickly. She stared down at the ground. Naruto felt a pang of guilt surge through him, but he was more concerned with the head of black hair making its way toward the front door.

"Um... We'll have to talk later," he said hurriedly. "I've gotta go and..." He left that sentence hanging as he suddenly just walked away. He followed Sasuke's hair rather calmly until it went through the front door. Then, he began pushing through the people dancing in the middle of the room more roughly, wanting to get outside before the bastard could just disappear. Just as he got out of the front door, a hand at his elbow stopped him.

"You idiot!" Neji exclaimed angrily.

Naruto looked at him confusedly. "What?" he asked innocently, looking distractedly over his shoulder to try to spot Sasuke.

"You made my cousin _cry_," Neji said, glaring at Naruto, "and then you just _walked away_!"

"Oh, that," Naruto replied vacantly, still glancing around for Sasuke. "I didn't mean to. I'm just kind of trying out this new idea of going for what I really want."

"You don't need to trample over Hinata along the way!" Neji retorted. That earned him Naruto's full attention.

"She just kissed me out of nowhere!" Naruto defended. "I didn't _ask_ her to!"

"You didn't ask her not to either!" Neji argued. "You just stared off into the distance all vacant-like! Are you retarded?! Do you not _know_ when someone is flirting with you, or do you just not care?! Are you just that much of an asshole that you'd lead someone on like that?!"

Naruto glared at Neji. "We're friends, Neji, but I'll punch you right here and now!" he warned. "I wouldn't purposely do anything to hurt Hinata! You know that!"

"I should knock you the fuck out!" Neji very nearly shouted. "You're a selfish asshole sometimes, Naruto!" He tightened his grip on Naruto's elbow. "Think with your fucking brain!" he exclaimed. "Or are you really too fucking stupid to—" He was cut off as Sasuke suddenly appeared, grabbed his wrist, and ripped his hand from Naruto's arm.

"Don't touch him," Sasuke warned in a dangerous tone.

Neji simply snorted. "What are you gonna do?" he spat. Suddenly, he was thrown backward and pinned up against the wall by his throat. Instinctively, one hand went to the fingers wrapped around his neck while the other pushed futilely against Sasuke's chest. He wheezed as he struggled to breathe.

"You don't wanna know," Sasuke ground out.

"Let him go!" Naruto exclaimed quickly. "You'll hurt him, Sasuke!"

Sasuke growled defiantly but dropped Neji obediently. Neji gasped for air but stayed standing tall to glare at the man. They shared a long, tense moment before Naruto intervened again by lightly touching Sasuke's shoulder from behind.

"Sasuke," he said quietly. It was soft and gentle, but it was enough to reign the beast in. Sasuke's muscles relaxed, but neither his eyes nor his fangs eased up. Eventually, Neji simply left the two men alone and went back inside, rubbing his throat tenderly. When Neji was out of sight, Naruto asked, "Don't you think that was a bit much?"

"He touched you inappropriately," Sasuke ground out, still glaring at the spot where Neji had been standing.

"Only because I accidentally hurt Hinata's feelings," Naruto defended. "He was protecting her, and it was fair. You didn't have to crush his windpipe over it."

In a flash, Sasuke had Naruto pinned to the very same spot where Neji had just been. He held both of Naruto's wrists over his head and hovered his body close enough to share body heat without touching. "Let's get one thing straight," he whispered close enough to Naruto's mouth for their breath to mingle. Naruto took in a shuddering breath as he stared raptly at Sasuke's lips. "If I want to kill someone for touching you, then I will because I _can_. I'm a killer, Naruto. Don't forget that." Slowly, Sasuke leaned away, but he did not release Naruto.

Naruto swallowed thickly, negligent of just how tempting that made his throat to Sasuke. "Are you trying to scare me?" he asked.

Sasuke snorted. "I don't need to try," he assured smugly.

Naruto leaned forward, thinking that maybe he could get a hold of those sinful lips, or maybe not really _thinking_ at all. Sasuke moved out of reach though. In response, Naruto sighed with disappointment. "I'm not scared of you," he insisted, "especially not right now. You don't look scary. You look..." he trailed off as his eyes began to rove over what he could see of Sasuke's physique.

"Don't do that," Sasuke demanded quietly.

Naruto met Sasuke's eyes again. "Why not? I can't appreciate you?" he asked, a tantalizing smirk on his lips.

Sasuke's eyes grew deeper and his grip grew tighter on Naruto's wrists. "No," he said in a low voice, "you can't because it makes me want to bite you."

Naruto wouldn't be shut up so easily though. "Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing," he mused.

"No?" Sasuke asked, suddenly leaning in and placing his lips against Naruto's neck. "Not even if it _killed_ you?" he asked, his teeth grazing the skin. It didn't have quite the affect that he had been hoping for though, as Naruto was barely able to stifle a pleased whimper.

Who did this idiot think that he was? Didn't he understand what he was getting into? Didn't he know what Sasuke was capable of? Didn't that matter? How could he play with Sasuke so easily? After all, that's all this was, wasn't it? It was just Naruto having some fun. Sasuke was unlovable, untouchable. He always had been. Being a vampire had sort of sealed that fate a long time ago. Naruto could never truly care for Sasuke. This was just some surface attraction. Sasuke was hot, after all. Who wasn't attracted to him? Naruto was just playing a game with Sasuke... but Sasuke was playing along. He was giving in. He was fucking _changing_ for the dobe. He had _already_ changed so much for him. The old Sasuke would have had Naruto's throat ripped out weeks ago already. This Sasuke couldn't though. This Sasuke didn't understand what Naruto was doing to him or _why_. Why was Naruto doing this?

"What do you want from me?" Sasuke asked, suddenly very serious, as he pulled away from Naruto's neck and tightened his grip a bit.

Naruto's eyes found Sasuke's again. "What do you mean?" he asked quietly, growing serious too.

"Why have you been so interested in me all this time?" Sasuke asked. Naruto blushed lightly. "You have a crush on me?" Sasuke asked. Naruto blushed even more. "I knew it," Sasuke said. He snorted and tightened his grip severely. Naruto winced against the bruises forming on his wrists, but Sasuke ignored him. He leaned in close again, except it wasn't half as seducing to Naruto this time around. Such pain has a tendency to put a real damper on one's mood though. Naruto couldn't help the grimace on his face. "I'm not a pet," Sasuke snarled. "Your fascination is insulting me."

Only when Naruto whimpered quietly and began gritting his teeth did Sasuke finally let him go. Immediately, the blond rubbed his wrists tenderly. When he looked back up, he was presented with a view of the back of Sasuke's head. He simply watched Sasuke for a few moments as he thought of what he wanted to say in reply.

"Give me some credit," he finally said. "I am a little deeper than that." He moved to stand beside Sasuke and stared at the man's profile. His teeth had still yet to retract, though his eyes had cleared up a little bit. "I don't want a pet," Naruto said quietly. Sasuke's facial expression didn't change. Cautiously, Naruto lifted his hand and carded it through Sasuke's hair. He had to smile at the way Sasuke unintentionally relaxed into the touch. He shuffled a little closer so that his chest was pressed against Sasuke's shoulder and then leaned forward even more to whisper in Sasuke's ear, "I want you."

Sasuke went rigid and stood as still as a stone. After a few seconds of uncertainty, Naruto removed his hand from Sasuke's hair and began to think that maybe this encounter was a failure. Sasuke wasn't really reacting at all though, so he wasn't exactly sure. He lingered for a few more seconds before deciding that it was definitely a failure and that he was absolutely humiliated. After all, that was one of his best attempts at seducing and Sasuke was just standing there, like it hadn't just happened. Feeling stupid, Naruto began walking away hurriedly. God, he felt like such a fool. It wasn't just an attempt at seduction. That was kind of a confession too. He wanted more than just Sasuke's body. Sasuke was just fucking _standing_ there though! Suddenly, Naruto was running, perhaps with the intentions of outrunning the awful feeling in his chest.

Suddenly, however, Sasuke was forcing Naruto to a halt. He grabbed both of Naruto's elbows tightly from behind and gently pulled Naruto to a stop. Naruto just stood there, huffing heavily and waiting for the bastard to _say something_. Finally, Sasuke spun Naruto around and, without any warning, kissed him deeply. At first, Naruto was far too shocked to react. He had never kissed a man before. Of course, kissing Sasuke seemed like it deserved its own category completely. He hadn't even reciprocated the kiss yet, but it already felt a thousand times better than a kiss could ever feel with anyone else. Naturally, when Naruto kissed back, it was like proverbial fireworks exploded in his head. Now _this_ was a fucking kiss. It didn't last nearly long enough though because Sasuke pulled away quickly. Before Naruto could even ask what was up, Sasuke had picked him up bridal-style and they were moving at the speed of light.

Naruto was glad that it didn't take that long to get back to his apartment because all he wanted to do was more and more kissing. Well, he thought that maybe he'd start with a real confession first, the confession that Sasuke deserved. Even if he was a vampire and even if he was Sasuke, he still had human emotions. After everything that Naruto had learned about the guy, Sasuke must have just been yearning for affection for years now. He was just too afraid or unequipped to ask for it. Now was Naruto's chance to change that though. Sasuke set him down in front of the building and took a giant step back away from him.

"What?" Naruto asked, feeling very put off. "Am I that bad at kissing?"

Sasuke didn't take the joke so lightly though. "We can't," he said simply and sternly. He looked ready to bolt, and that expression worried Naruto. He didn't want Sasuke running back to his old self, not after they had gotten so far, not after Naruto had gotten to close.

"Wait," Naruto pleaded, reaching out and grabbing one of Sasuke's hands. "Don't go yet. I have a lot that I want to say still." Sasuke's expression was pained, but he didn't move. "Just talk with me," Naruto insisted. "You said you wanted to change and I said that I would help, so talk with me."

Sasuke's expression grew even more pained. He was tempted to stay. He knew that Naruto wasn't going to jump his bones or anything. He could feel the blonde's intentions easily. He truly just wanted to talk, but could Sasuke handle that? Was he ready? It might be easier for him to battle his thirst while necking with Naruto than actually trying to have a real talk with the guy. No, Sasuke wasn't ready. Maybe that made him a coward, but he was okay with that for now. He could not cross that threshold and go back into Naruto's apartment. He had to get away. He was feeling suffocated. He wasn't ready for this. It was too much at once. He wanted to go back in time to when things made sense. Vampire. Thirst. Blood. Kill. That was easy. Suddenly, his thirst was multiplied. Now he _really_ couldn't stay a second longer or else he would snap.

"We can't," he repeated simply, and then he was gone.

* * *

Sasuke lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments of tense silence, he sighed and looked to his left. "You have to go home," he said.

A shocked Sai, who had already been staring at him, frowned. "What?" he asked. "I'm offended. You'd throw me out so easily after a night like that?"

"I said, go home," Sasuke said flatly.

Sai snorted. "Yeah right," he said, turning onto his back and staring up at the ceiling with a cocky grin in place.

Sasuke scowled and sat up in his bed. "I mean it, Sai," he said sternly.

"What happened to you, Sasuke?" Sai asked, sitting up as well. "I was pretty understanding when you decided to stop hunting with me. Personal preference. Whatever. But now? Now you're just some little pet, aren't you? Prancing around for your sweet little human."

Sasuke growled at Sai and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Watch it Sai, or else..."

Sai barked with laughter. "Or else what?" he asked. "Using your daddy's status to threaten people now? That it?"

Sasuke growled and pinned Sai down on the bed violently. "No, I'm saying that if you don't back the fuck up, I'll kill you myself," he snarled.

Sai smirked, letting his own teeth come out to play. He lifted his head slowly, staring into Sasuke's eyes and judging the situation. Sasuke did not back up, so Sai took that as an invitation to advance further. Sasuke continued to glare at him menacingly, even when their lips finally touched. The contact was too tender for Sai though, and tender just wasn't in his nature. He switched their positions in a flash, and Sasuke didn't fight him. He simply let Sai have his way. Once on top of Sasuke, Sai jerked the man's head back by pulling on his hair and licked up the column of his neck.

"It's so hot when you talk like that," he whispered in Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I wasn't trying to turn you on," he said.

"Too bad," Sai replied, sucking a particularly sensitive spot on Sasuke's neck. "Mission failed," he said, and then he bit into Sasuke's neck harshly. Immediately, Sasuke bucked his hips and growled, his hands gripping Sai's sides roughly. Sai moaned loudly as he sucked the wound on Sasuke's neck. Sasuke hissed angrily, so Sai obligingly placed his wrist against Sasuke's lips. Without a second thought, Sasuke latched on and began sucking from the wound there too. For a few, blissful minutes, they simply fed on each other that way.

Once Sai decided that he'd had enough, he detached from Sasuke's throat. Sasuke didn't stop, but Sai didn't protest. He let Sasuke continue while he ground down on the man's hips, scratching trails down Sasuke's chest with the nails of his free hand. Sasuke growled and gripped Sai's wrist harder. Just as he was getting lost in ecstasy, Sasuke's entire field of vision blurred heavily before refocusing again. He recognized the sensation immediately and shoved Sai off of him. In less than a second, he was standing in front of a window in his living room, poised to jump out in all his half-naked glory. Sai hissed disapprovingly, but Sasuke ignored him. His vision blurred again and he felt a light pulse in his head. He gripped the window sill tightly, debating on what to do and feeling the situation out. He often overreacted to these things; but if he didn't act at all, then he would get really restless and irritable. Sai was at his side a moment later, rubbing his shoulders.

"Come back to bed," he whispered in Sasuke's ear, pressing his body against Sasuke's back fully. If Sasuke had been a lesser man, he would have been persuaded.

"No," Sasuke said decidedly as he turned and walked back up into his room to get dressed. "I've gotta go, and so do you."

Sai growled. "What's the fucking deal with that boy?" he ground out. "We're not made to love to them, Sasuke. We're made to kill them."

"You wouldn't understand," Sasuke replied, "and how would you even know where I'm going?"

"It's not rocket science," Sai said, rolling his eyes. "Plus, I still get a little inkling from my blood bond. You haven't quite won him over yet."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at Sai with dark eyes and barred fangs. "All the better reason for you to _leave_!" he spat. If Sai had been a lesser man, he would have been intimidated. When Sai didn't move, Sasuke added, "I will fucking kill you, Sai. Get out."

Not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble, Sai sighed. "Fine," he said unhappily as he walked up the steps into the bedroom to gather his things. Despite having vampire speed, he went about his business very slowly.

He knew that he was fairly matched with Sasuke, even though Sasuke was pretty terrifying when he got serious. Sai didn't want to rile him up for no good reason though. Sasuke was still his toy. He enjoyed playing with the man, and he didn't want to lose these little sexcapades. Driving Sasuke away would only put Sai himself in a bad mood. Plus, maybe once Sasuke got his little blond fuck, then they could play with him together. After all, Sasuke was bound to get over this whole domesticated bullshit as soon as he got what he wanted, and he obviously wanted Naruto.

As soon as he felt Sai's presence disappear from the area, Sasuke finished dressing at lightning speed and left too. Moments later, he was crouching on the garden ledge of a familiar window. The window was open though, something that it had never been before. Warily, Sasuke crawled in. He crept to the doorway and quietly listened to Naruto mumble to himself. He didn't need to hear the words to understand what Naruto was saying though, seeing as his head kept pulsing lightly. He stood in the doorway and simply watched Naruto for a few moments, the pulsing in his head never stopping. Eventually, he spoke.

"You really shouldn't leave your window open, dobe," he said. He was displeased when Naruto didn't startle though.

"Hm," Naruto hummed pensively, looking up at Sasuke calmly.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"You came," Naruto said simply.

Sasuke shrugged. "I thought we were friends," he said. "That means I can come over. Doesn't it?"

Naruto stared at Sasuke intensely for a moment. "Do you always come?" he asked.

"I don't know what you mean," Sasuke said.

"When I call for you," Naruto supplied. "Do you always come?"

Sasuke paused for a moment. "Do you always call for me?" he asked.

"I don't know what exactly 'calling for you' entails," Naruto said. "You'll have to tell me how often I do it so I can figure that out."

"Is that why the window was open?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded. "And how did you figure out that you could call on me?" he asked.

"Kankuro told me I could call him," Naruto replied, "so I thought it might work for you. Are the rules for it?" he asked.

"There has to be a bond for it to work," Sasuke said. "Any vampire who has tasted your blood has a blood bond to you. That forces a connection, whether you want it or not. Other than that, any strong emotional connection is a good enough bond too. Generally, if you're in distress, any vampire who has a bond with you can feel it. If you call for one of them individually, then only that one person will feel it."

"Mhm," Naruto hummed, nodding his head in understanding. "So... how would one get rid of a blood bond?" he asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "Stronger bonds knock out weaker bonds, so just make a stronger bond," he explained. "Emotional bonds won't knock out blood bonds so easily though. It's best to make a stronger blood bond by letting someone you already have a strong connection with taste your blood."

"I see," Naruto said.

"Why are you asking?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm curious," Naruto replied.

"Do you have some blood bonds you need to worry about?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know, do I?" Naruto retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked uneasily.

"Since Kankuro doesn't have a blood bond with me, if I get closer to someone else who does, then will he not be able to feel me unless I call for him directly?" Naruto asked, ignoring Sasuke's question.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Yes," he answered.

"How do I know when that's happened?" Naruto asked.

"You won't," Sasuke said. "You just have to know how strong your bonds with the people around you are."

"I feel like my bond with Kankuro is pretty strong," Naruto said.

"I don't disagree," Sasuke replied. "He must feel very responsible for you, or else he wouldn't have come when you called him."

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "How do you know that it ever worked with Kankuro?" he asked.

"You said so," Sasuke answered.

"No, I said Kankuro _told_ me it would work," Naruto replied. He narrowed his eyes with suspicion and nodded at the wall beside the doorway. "Is that your blood?" he asked.

Sasuke tensed up. "No," he said stiffly without even looking.

"Why can you feel me?" Naruto asked. Sasuke's face went blank. "Why can you feel me, Sasuke?" Naruto repeated. "Are we that close and I just don't know about it?"

"That about explains it," a familiar voice interjected. Naruto wasted no time in being shocked or surprised. He opened his mouth to reprimand Kankuro for his absence, but he stopped abruptly when his eyes shifted to behind Sasuke and landed on the man's face. Kankuro went on easily. "You and Sasuke have been emotionally bonded for a while. If you hadn't been, he would have sensed me approaching a while ago. He gets so engulfed in you that he forgets what's around him though." Kankuro glanced at the back of Sasuke's head. "He's easy to sneak up on this way. If he isn't careful, someone older and more experienced might be inclined to take advantage of that," he pointed out.

Casually, he sauntered past Sasuke into the room, careful to keep an eye on the other vampire though. He strolled up and stopped right before Naruto. Instinctively, Sasuke snarled under his breath. "You see?" Kankuro said. "He's defensive. If I even twitch the wrong way near you, he'll kill me. You're his." Naruto looked between the two vampires questioningly. "That's my blood, Naruto," Kankuro informed, "not Sasuke's." Naruto's eyes widened dramatically. "I'm afraid you've got your suspicions all wrong."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Step away," Sasuke hissed.

"If it makes you feel better," Kankuro said flatly. He obligingly moved a few paces away from Naruto and turned so that he could face both men at once. Sasuke remained in his spot by the door, but he was obviously poised to attack if need be.

"Sasuke is what happened to my face," Kankuro explained to Naruto. "I got too close to his property, and he mauled me for it."

"Property?" Naruto asked confusedly.

"Yes," Kankuro said. "Didn't you hear me? You're his. I wouldn't be surprised if he monitors nearly every move you make. Us vampires can be obsessive over our possessions."

"I don't _possess_ him," Sasuke snarled. "I just protect him."

"From me?" Kankuro asked. "Was I such a threat?" Sasuke fell silent.

"Wait? So Sasuke _was_ here that night? I'm not completely wrong about that?" Naruto asked.

"He was here," Kankuro reassured.

"And you were here too?" Naruto asked.

Kankuro nodded. "You called me. Just as I said, I will always come when you ask," he replied.

"If you were _both_ here... then... well... someone attacked me," Naruto said, eyeing Sasuke warily.

Sasuke scowled and snorted with offense. "You can't be serious!" he exclaimed.

"Well, you haven't exactly been making any _sense_ to me lately!" Naruto retorted.

"Sasuke saved your life," Kankuro interjected before Sasuke could get any more offended. "He was the one who sucked out the venom. Without him, you might have been changed before I got here, though not killed," he explained.

"So he didn't save me _life,_" Naruto pointed out, "if I wasn't going to die anyway." Sasuke scowled.

"Naruto, this isn't a life," Kankuro said. "Being a vampire is something less. So, yes, Sasuke saved your life."

"Whatever," Naruto conceded. "I didn't mean to offend or anything."

"Yes, you did," Sasuke grumbled irritably.

"Aright, fine!" Naruto exclaimed. "I did! I meant to offend you because _you_ offended _me_!"

"What are you talking about?!" Sasuke asked loudly.

"Kissing me last night and then fucking _leaving_ like that?! What do you think I'm talking about?!" Naruto shouted back, jumping to his feet.

Sasuke felt a huge shift in Kankuro's aura, so he snapped his head to the brunette and hissed. "Keep your trap _shut_!" he demanded. "It's got nothing to do with you!"

Naruto looked between them confusedly. "What?"

"Nothing!" Sasuke snapped.

"No! What?!" Naruto demanded.

Kankuro opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut him off. "I said, _don't_!" he snarled.

Kankuro growled at him. "He has a right to the truth," he said. Sasuke glared daggers at the brunette in response, silently threatening him with a million painful deaths if he didn't keep his mouth glued shut.

"Why is it that every-fucking-thing that concerns me is always kept a fucking secret from me?!" Naruto exclaimed angrily. "You are the shadiest bunch of assholes I've ever known!"

After a few moments of Sasuke letting Naruto cool down as he continued his attempt at glaring Kankuro into submission, he finally spoke. "Sai attacked you," he said quietly. Naruto looked up at him and slowly raised his brows. "He likes to play games though," Sasuke added, a bit too calmly for Naruto's liking. After all, Sasuke was talking about the guy who had not only attacked Naruto but violated him too. Not to mention all the shit that Sai had done to Sasuke himself, especially that little stunt of kissing Naruto when he was still dating Sasuke. Sasuke's composure did not wane though, despite who he was referring to. "He would have wanted to keep you as a toy, so he wouldn't have killed you," Sasuke went on. "Maybe he would have even sucked out the venom himself after he was done."

Naruto sat back down on his bed heavily. "This is too much," he said. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, he asked, "So Sai can hear me too? We have a blood bond?" Sasuke nodded. "What if he hears me struggling and thinks it's a good time to come and try to eat me?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"That won't happen," Kankuro assured.

"But how do you know?" Naruto persisted.

"I just do. He won't come unless you call to him directly," Kankuro informed. "That means that you have to say his name with the intent to beckon him. In fact, you have to do that with everyone you have a bond with now. It might even be that way for the rest of your life."

"Why?" Naruto asked. "I thought that you could just hear me when I'm in distress."

"Not anymore. Even just a little while ago when you asked for help, I could only barely feel it. That was only because I was looking out for it though, in case you needed me. I'm sure that little bit of connection that was left is lost by now though. No one bonded to you will hear you anymore, not unless you call to us specifically," Kankuro explained.

"Why did it change?" Naruto asked.

"How many times do I have to say it? Because you're Sasuke's," Kankuro replied. Sasuke scoffed at the words, but Kankuro ignored him. "Your bond with him is overwhelming, Naruto. None of us can compare, it seems."

"But even Sasuke said that you wouldn't know when a bond has been overshadowed," Naruto argued. "He also said that blood bonds were stronger than emotional ones, so even if you couldn't feel me very well when I asked for help, maybe it's different for Sai. He's tasted my blood. Even if you can't feel me, how can you be sure that he won't?"

"Anyone with half a brain can see that your bonds have been overshadowed," Kankuro replied, "whether it be by blood or otherwise. The only person who will be picking up on your stress so easily is Sasuke. Even if we strain to tune into you, it won't work. If last night didn't seal that, then this conversation right now just did."

"Really?" Naruto asked, completely unconvinced. "You think I _want_ to be close to him after this?"

"Doesn't matter," Kankuro replied. "Some part of your subconscious does. Even if it's complicated, Naruto, you two are bound together. Even an intense rivalry can overshadow a friendship. Even if you hated Sasuke to the core, his bond would still outmatch anyone else's. It's just fate, I guess. How do you think he got here before me that night you were attacked, even though you called for _me_ directly? He felt your panic and sprang into action before you could even utter my name. He was so protective of you even then that not even _I_ could come inside your room without being attacked." Naruto stared at Sasuke in search of some emotional response, anything to tell him what the fuck to do with all of this information. Sasuke was just staring at the floor though. Kankuro sighed as he read the mood in the room. "I think I should go. You two have a lot to talk about," he decided. "—like why I can smell that nightwalker on you," he added slyly.

Sasuke stiffened like a board. "I told you not to speak of it!" he snapped as he violently slammed Kankuro against the bathroom door.

Kankuro didn't even flinch though. He had intentionally said exactly what Sasuke had warned him not to say, so he was expecting that kind of reaction. "You should have washed him off if you didn't want it out in the open," he began calmly, "instead of coming here with his smell all over your body. That was stupid of you." He easily slipped out of Sasuke's grip. Sasuke didn't attempt to attack again though. He simply stood there looking defeated, palms flat against the door, head bowed, and shoulders slumped. Quietly, Kankuro added, "—and you could stand to cover up that love bite too. It looks a bit promiscuous. Makes you seem unreliable... but then again, I guess you kind of are." He snorted lightly, amused by his quip. "Always have been," he hissed in Sasuke's ear, and then he was gone.


	14. Chapter 14: He Loves Me Not

**A/N:** An update on time? This is weird. It's an actual week after the last one. How did I do that?! Anyway, let me just let ya'll know that flashbacks will be written in italics and present tense. That's just so you know from this chapter and on what a flashback looks like. Don't get confused by them :) I couldn't really find a way to write them that satisfied me in the end, so I just went with this method.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: He Loves Me Not**

Naruto stared blankly at Sasuke's back. Who was "that nightwalker"? Who did Kankuro smell on Sasuke? How should Naruto feel about this? Why was he so slow to react? Why did he feel like he was watching this from third person? What should he say? What should he do? Should he be angry? He felt that maybe he should. Even if Sasuke didn't really do anything incriminating with "that nightwalker", he had still left Naruto to go be in that person's company. Why would he do that, especially after kissing Naruto the way he had? Didn't the kiss mean something to Sasuke too? Or was Naruto alone in that sense? Or maybe Sasuke didn't think that it meant anything to Naruto, but wasn't it obvious that it did? Wasn't what Naruto felt for Sasuke the most obvious thing in the world?

No, Sasuke couldn't feign ignorance about that. He couldn't pretend that he wasn't aware, because Naruto knew that he could feel exactly what Naruto felt. Sasuke knew. He had to know. He just had to. Yet, he had left Naruto to be with someone else. Even if it was an innocent encounter, he had left. Just like everyone else always left, Sasuke had left. That stance didn't look like the stance of an innocent man either. Just the way that Sasuke was standing alone made him look so guilty. _Why, Sasuke?_ Naruto questioned in his head. _Why do you have to look so guilty? Stop. Stop standing like that. Please. Stop looking so guilty. It hurts._

"Say something," Sasuke demanded. It was quiet but powerful. It felt like the blast from a canon to Naruto. Why did such a soft voice—the kind of softness that Sasuke rarely used with Naruto—feel like a crashing clap of lightning?

Sasuke wanted Naruto to say something. Say something. But what could he say? "I hate you"? No. That was a bit too rash too quickly. "Why did you leave me"? No. That was expecting too much of a man who hadn't expressed much more than a mild interest in Naruto. Shit. That was right. All Sasuke felt was just a mild interest, if that. Naruto was the one with overwhelming feelings, not Sasuke. Sasuke by no means at all belonged to Naruto. Naruto had absolutely no claim at all on the man. He had no stake in Sasuke's heart. Sasuke could do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted, and Naruto didn't even have the right to be angry about it.

Sure, Naruto was positive that he himself would never share a kiss like that with someone and then run off to spend the rest of the night with a whole other person—because, no matter how innocent said night may have been, it just seemed indecent to Naruto. Naruto truly believed in only pursuing those that you truly had feelings for. For him, deciding to like someone was committing. He was committing to care for that person and only that person in the romantic sense. Maybe he was old-fashioned, but a kiss was nothing to scoff at. He would never be able to kiss someone and then treat it in such a fickle manner. Sasuke wasn't Naruto though. He didn't have to abide by Naruto's standards. His morals were probably a lot looser than Naruto's. Hell, Naruto hadn't even had a chance to really get into Sasuke's head yet, so he actually had no idea what he was dealing with here.

"Say something to me," Sasuke repeated a bit more loudly.

No, Naruto really couldn't even justify being angry if he were to get angry. Sasuke was free to do whatever he wanted to do. Naruto couldn't tie him down just because he liked the guy. A kiss was probably petty to Sasuke, even if was life-altering to Naruto; and, yes, that particular kiss _had_ been life-altering to Naruto. He wasn't aware of its gravity right at the moment, but things had drastically changed for him over the night. He had been confused after Sasuke had left him, so he jumped to a lot of weird, half-baked conclusions about the night when he was attacked and how Sasuke was involved. Kankuro had cleared that whole night up for Naruto though. In truth, he had never actually doubted Sasuke.

He was just desperate for answers. To him, it seemed easier to accuse Sasuke of something ludicrous and gauge his reaction to get those answers. In truth, after seeing such a soft side of Sasuke lately, it was really hard for Naruto to imagine that there was any darkness in that heart at all. In the end, though, that kiss had been a huge thing to Naruto because that was when he knew that he was in deep. He was in _so_ deep. Realizing just how deep he had fallen, he became a bit confused, a bit intimidated, and a bit scared. Looking for answers in the night he was attacked was just his need for some concrete knowledge. After all, whatever was between him and Sasuke didn't feel concrete at all, not since Sasuke decided to kiss and leave. So, here Naruto was, all shook up and hungry for something solid.

He had never been in this deep with anyone before in his life. He had never felt so closely tied to anyone other than his father or Jiraiya. This thing with Sasuke was a whole new dynamic for Naruto though. Even if things had started out rough, Sasuke was a whole different kind of relationship that Naruto had never known before, the kind of relationship that Naruto now knew he would cherish. Well, he _would_ have cherished it. Hm, maybe he still could. Really, he didn't _know_ because he had _no idea_ how Sasuke felt. For fuck's sake, Sasuke had left to be with someone else! What did that mean? What did that say about Sasuke? What did that say about what Naruto meant to Sasuke? Just... what?

Yes, Sasuke was completely unlike anyone else. The magnitude of Naruto's connection to him was intense. It was possible that Sasuke was just as confused as Naruto too. It was possible that Sasuke hadn't known what to do with his feelings, so his first instinct was to run. Should Naruto have chased? He wasn't sure at all. Sasuke didn't seem like the type who liked to be chased. He was definitely one to cherish his space and solitude... but now Naruto was even more confused. Sasuke was sometimes one way and then sometimes another. Just as Kankuro had said, even if it was sometimes a hateful relationship, Sasuke and Naruto were bound together by some strong thread of fate. Naruto could feel that. He felt it so strongly. So, he felt like the confusion of their relationship was suddenly so tiny now, because all he could think about was how predetermined this all really was. In the end, it felt like he would have no choice but to fall in love with the bastard.

"Naruto!" Sasuke exclaimed softly, looking over his shoulder at the man—who was staring right through him, completely spaced out. "Say something!" Sasuke demanded again, much more desperately than he would ever have liked to admit. He just needed a reaction though.

Love. Shit. Love. That was the worst fucking part. Naruto felt... love. _Love_. It was still just in the beginning stages, but it would definitely be getting there soon enough. Of that, Naruto was positive. Isn't it funny how such a tiny bud of an emotion can be planted in one's heart and that bud can somehow manage to blossom fully, even after being trampled all over as it's sprouting? If Naruto chose to distance himself from Sasuke after this, he knew that he would still feel those emotions growing inside of him anyway. He could feel himself loving Sasuke more intensely every second that passed by, even now. Though plagued by anger, hatred, betrayal, and misery, that bud refused to give up. It was blossoming, but it was kind of painful... too painful. It was too painful to care for Sasuke. Naruto was now feeling a mixture of too many conflicting things. In the end, it was being overwhelmed that pushed his tears to spill down his cheeks.

"I don't even know why I'm crying," he said quietly, more to himself than to Sasuke—as he was still looking right through Sasuke. He was just so overwhelmed though. His brain was taking him on a roller coaster ride. His heart was constricting with so any different emotions. He couldn't even manage himself, let alone Sasuke as well.

"I don't know what to say," Sasuke admitted quietly, more to himself than to Naruto—for Sasuke could feel Naruto's absence. He could tell that those eyes weren't on him. Naruto was completely absent right now, completely unfazed by Sasuke's presence. Sasuke had disappeared from Naruto's world for the time being. Was he even worthy of being gazed upon by that man? Should he just stay invisible?

Just barely hearing Sasuke's voice cut through the haze that was his brain, Naruto managed to travel back to reality. "Just tell me why," he said quietly.

Sasuke turned around to completely face Naruto slowly. He glanced into those blue eyes and was forced to look away. Whatever was swirling within them was inexplicable. It was a cacophony of multiple things, things that Sasuke didn't really want to see swirling in Naruto's gaze. He didn't feel fit to stare back, to accept the beauty of those eyes, of that man. Naruto could see that on Sasuke's face though. He didn't need to be a vampire to feel the shame radiating from Sasuke. That only served to hurt and confuse him more. Why did Sasuke have to keep looking so fucking guilty?

Sasuke sighed heavily. How could he word his response without completely losing whatever he had managed to ignite between Naruto and himself already? Truthfully, being close to Naruto was dangerous. He'd almost murdered the guy on the spot last night _three times_. Once out of dismay for someone else having kissed him; once out of anger for someone else having touched and threatened him; and once out of his own sexual desire. Most of the time that Naruto's life was in danger was because of a ripple effect from what _someone else_ made Sasuke feel too. Naruto just happened to be in the line of fire. That was life with a vampire though. You didn't have to do anything wrong yourself to be in danger. Just crossing one at a bad time was enough.

Despite the constant danger though, Sasuke subconsciously kept edging closer to the blond inch by inch. Even though he had always known this type of relationship wouldn't work out, he kept doing things and saying things that pushed the two toward that kiss. He had wanted it—not even just the kiss, but what could have bloomed from it. He had wanted the prospect of a relationship with Naruto, even if he couldn't admit it consciously. No, even if he was too _afraid_ to admit it consciously. Subconsciously, he had pushed toward it, and Naruto had followed along too. Now, he had ruined that; and what _was_ the reason? Why had Sasuke gone to Sai? He knew the answer in his heart, but why couldn't he just tell Naruto the whole truth? Why was that so difficult?

"I was suffering," Sasuke said simply.

"Suffering," Naruto repeated vacantly.

"I was uncertain," Sasuke added.

"Uncertain," Naruto repeated absently.

"I was seeking consolation, and I don't know anyone that I can really rely on," Sasuke finished quietly. "He was the only option, the only choice for me."

Naruto snapped out of his stupor. It was probably the confirmation that Sasuke had been with another _man_ that did it for Naruto. It wasn't like Sasuke had made any solid indication that he was gay, and there was that time that Naruto had walked in on Sasuke with a girl. It was just that Naruto felt so strongly connected to Sasuke on so many different levels that he couldn't help but be arrogant enough to think that Sasuke really wanted him, and not just for his body either. If that was the case, then Naruto naturally felt intimidated by other men, especially men that earned the company of Sasuke late at night, especially men that Sasuke felt were the only people he could turn to at a vulnerable time. It wouldn't have been any better if it was a woman, but hearing that it was a man just really ticked Naruto off. What ticked him off even more, though, was that Sasuke had gone to this man for fucking consolation.

"What?" he asked with the most emotion he'd shown since Kankuro left. "You went to a _nightwalker_ for _comfort_?" he asked.

"Yes, but—"

"I'm confused," Naruto interrupted. "Of all people to go to, you chose someone with that kind of lifestyle, someone who probably tried to convince you that the answer was to go out and murder innocent human beings. How could someone from that part of your past comfort you?" Naruto asked hotly. "Unless it's not quite your past yet," he added accusingly.

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed quickly. "It is! I'm not hunting with them. I haven't been," he assured. "I won't ever again. It _is_ my past. I just... I didn't know anyone else to turn to in that state."

Naruto snorted derisively. "Gimme a break," he said, rolling his eyes. "Were you _so_ pained? _You_ were the one who left _me_ standing in the street after that kiss all alone. Yet, you want me to buy into your sob story about being the poor victim of despair?"

"It wasn't a one-sided kiss, Naruto!" Sasuke argued angrily, balling his fists at his side. "I... I was emotionally invested too! I wanted it. That's why I initiated it... but... I... I couldn't..." He swallowed hard. "I couldn't contain myself. I almost..." He trailed off and averted his eyes.

"Almost what?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"—killed you," Sasuke supplied in a whisper. The shame was back tenfold.

"That's why you ran away?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sasuke answered quietly, looking resolutely down at the ground.

"And that's what you sought comfort for?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed, sounding something near regretful of his actions.

Naruto tsked loudly. "Bullshit," he said flatly. Nope. He wasn't buying such a shitty excuse.

Sasuke snapped his head up. "What?"

Naruto stood from his bed. "I said, bullshit," he repeated daringly, narrowing his eyes in a challenge. "You've battled thirst before Sasuke. You've been a vampire for your entire life. One little kiss from me and you're suddenly driven mad with the need for consolation? I'm not buying it. You wouldn't give up your pride and seek comfort so easily, especially not from one of them. Do you have any idea how stupid this sounds? You, Sasuke Uchiha, got so upset over how tempting a kiss was that you sought out a nightwalker from your past and asked him to comfort you." Naruto raised a brow as if to ask 'get it yet'.

"You're not understanding me, Naruto," Sasuke said exasperatedly.

"You're right, I'm not," Naruto agreed. "You're story is bullshit. I don't get that at all."

That was it. "Naruto!" Sasuke shouted suddenly, appearing a mere inch in front of the blond in a flash. "It was _traumatizing_!" he exclaimed, practically foaming at the mouth. "I thought I was going to _kill_ you! You, Naruto, the _one_ person I could never stand to fucking hurt!" He paused and panted heavily as he put some much needed space between them again. "I wasn't having a fucking pity party," he went on. "I was fucking terrified of myself, you idiot. I was terrified of the people I would murder. I was terrified of the mem—" He broke off abruptly, and his eyes took on a wild quality that really freaked Naruto out. He flashed to the other side of the room and crouched down in the corner with his back to Naruto, holding his aching head in his hands and fighting the urge to scream.

"Terrified of the what, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, trying not to sound so judgmental anymore. Sasuke was really opening up here, and it didn't look easy.

"I needed to release some tension!" Sasuke said loudly.

"Okay," Naruto responded softly. "I can believe that."

"I couldn't do it with anyone else!" Sasuke added even louder.

"Alright," Naruto replied, moving forward _slowly_—so as not to startle Sasuke, for it seemed like he was in a very rare, very fragile state right now. "I can understand that. So... a nightwalker was the only person you could trust to handle you. Okay."

"I needed it!" Sasuke insisted, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Naruto.

"I believe you," Naruto assured softly. "I just don't understand why last night was so different from any other night. Don't you always feel plagued by your thirst?"

"Naruto," Sasuke growled. "You're different! Don't you get it?! You're different!"

Naruto crouched down just behind Sasuke. "Okay," he whispered, trying to sound as soothing as possible.

"I... I would have gone mad!" Sasuke shouted suddenly, startling Naruto again. "I would have... again... I would have..." He trailed off momentarily. "I would have, Naruto! I would have!"

"Sasuke, _okay_," Naruto said worriedly. "You're freaking me out though, so just calm down. I'm only trying to understand what happened." Naruto leaned a little closer to Sasuke. "—to understand you," he added softly.

"You can't!" Sasuke screamed, startling Naruto so badly that he fell backward onto his ass.

"Sasuke," Naruto said worriedly, grabbing the man's shoulder. Sasuke shrugged it off and disappeared to the other side of the room though, despite how badly he wanted to be close to Naruto at the moment.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted at Naruto, his eyes absolutely wild. "Why don't you get it yet?!"

Naruto began to panic. He had never seen _this_ side to Sasuke yet. "Sasuke," he began again, his voice beginning to tremble, "please just calm down and talk to me more easily."

Sasuke was panting heavily by this point.

.

"_Sasuke, you have to calm down. Please," Ren says quietly, reaching out and grabbing her brother's hand. "We have to go help."_

"_Ren, I can't. We have to go home," Sasuke grinds out, squeezing her hand and attempting to pull her along._

"_Please, Sasuke. Please," Ren says, tugging back. "Please."_

_._

Sasuke started shaking his head, trying to shake out the invading thoughts. He hadn't had these thoughts in a long, long time.

"Sasuke," Naruto said again softly, almost as if it were the start of a lullaby.

.

"_Sasuke," Ren says in that soft, innocent voice of hers. "Please," she insists, tugging on his hand again. "You can do it. Calm down. You can. I know you can. We have to help. We have to."_

"_Ren! I can't!" Sasuke shouts, digging the palm of his free hand into one of his eyes in his frustration._

"_Please," Ren begs, her big eyes filling with tears. "Sasuke, please!"_

_._

Sasuke shook his head more violently. "You sound just like her, just like how she used to..." He trailed off, shaking his head even _more_ vigorously.

"Who?" Naruto asked.

"No. Stop," Sasuke said, crouching down and holding his head once more.

Naruto was getting really worried. "Ren?" he asked softly, wanting to approach the name gently because he knew what kind of effect it could have on Sasuke.

"Stop!" Sasuke yelled.

Naruto startled again, but tears began welling up in his eyes this time. "I'm getting really scared, Sasuke," he admitted.

.

"_Sasuke," Ren whispers, fear in her eyes. "I'm scared."_

.

"STOP!" Sasuke repeated angrily, though he wasn't sure exactly who he was yelling at anymore. It must have just been everyone, he figured. The whole world. Just _stop_.

His head was still bent down and his body was still hunched over, but even in that vulnerable position he gave off a dangerous aura. Naruto was getting a sickening feeling in his stomach. He figured that it must have been his gut instinct telling him to avoid this dangerous creature. Sasuke's intent to kill must have been rising, and it was terrifying to Naruto. It was far scarier than any image of red eyes and sharp fangs. Sasuke looked like a rabid animal at this point, like there would be no warning as to when he would snap. This had turned into a very serious situation; Naruto could tell. What could he do though?

"I'm really scared, Sasuke," Naruto repeated, hoping to appeal to Sasuke's humanity. After all, Sasuke wouldn't hurt Naruto if he could help it.

.

"_I'm scared, Sasuke," Ren whispers, her voice trembling furiously. "I'm so scared."_

.

"S-S-Stop," Sasuke pleaded in a broken voice so pained that not even a terrified Naruto could stand to ignore it. The need to embrace and to comfort was too great, so Naruto began crawling across the small room. Even if it got him killed, he couldn't stand that kind of pain in Sasuke's voice. He just couldn't. "S-Stop!" Sasuke repeated in that same broken tone. Naruto continued his advance anyway. "Please!" Sasuke exclaimed desperately. "Stop, Naruto!" he commanded, raising his head and locking eyes with Naruto. Fear was what stopped Naruto in his tracks.

Naruto wanted to push through, to continue on to Sasuke, and to show Sasuke that he would do whatever it took to be there for him. When those wild eyes met his, though, he was paralyzed. Sasuke's behavior was scary, but those eyes were truly terrifying. They didn't seem to echo Sasuke at all. Naruto had to wonder where the part of Sasuke that was telling him to stay back was, because all that Naruto could see in those eyes was an animal ready to pounce. Even as it called out to him and begged for him to stay away, Naruto could not see even a sliver of Sasuke's humanity; and that was terrifying. Sasuke appeared so feral before him. Whatever humanity that actually was left within him must have been tiny, almost nonexistent. At any moment, Sasuke could close the distance left between them in a flash and have Naruto any way that he wanted him.

"I d-don't know what t-to _do_, S-Sasuke," Naruto whispered. Sasuke stood abruptly and composed himself quickly, glaring down at a fearful Naruto. "T-Tell me what to do, S-Sasuke," Naruto pleaded.

Sasuke tensed as if he was going to advance on Naruto. Instead, he turned his back on the blond. When he glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, his eyes were dead—just as they had always used to be. "Leave me alone," he said flatly.

"What?" Naruto asked, dumbfounded. "A-After everything, you want me to leave you alone?"

Sasuke turned forward again and stared out of the doorway into the rest of Naruto's apartment. "If you value your life," he supplied.

"Not more than I value—" Before Naruto could even complete that thought, though, Sasuke was gone. "—you," Naruto finished quietly to himself, gazing solemnly at the spot where Sasuke had just been. He sighed heavily. What the fuck just happened?

* * *

"So what should I do?"

"What he said."

"What? That's stupid. After everything that's happened, I can't just leave him alone. He... He kissed me. Yeah, he left me really confused, but after he explained everything I understood—"

"You don't understand."

"I do. I understand. That's why I can forgive him, and that's why I can choose to move on with him. I can choose to try and save what we have, whatever that is. I can't do that on my own though. He can't just make me feel these things and then go away."

"Yes, he can. Respect that. Value your life, Naruto. Don't give it up for Sasuke because he _will_ take it."

Yeah? Well, what the fuck did Kankuro know anyway?

* * *

"So what should I do?"

"Listen to him."

"What the fuck? Why would I do that?"

"Because he said he wanted to kill you, and he's trying _not_ to do that. It's generally easier if you don't go begging for it."

"But—"

"Sorry, Naru! I gotta go! I'm supposed to be meeting Kisame right now!"

Goddamn Temari. Always fucking running off with that scattered brain of hers. Just as well. She was just speaking nonsense anyway.

* * *

"So..."—Naruto cleared his throat awkwardly—"what should I do?"

"Simple. Leave him alone."

Naruto sighed heavily. "I should have known."

"You're the only one who doesn't really know Sasuke, Naruto. Just listen to those who actually know what they're talking about."

Naruto knew that talking to Gaara would be fruitless anyway. What a predictable answer. Useless.

* * *

"Please, tell me something other than 'leave him alone'," Naruto said pleadingly.

Kiba sighed. "I wish I could, Naruto, but I can't," he said regretfully. "The way that you've explained him to me is really... disturbing. You really don't know how dangerous it is to be around him right now."

"I don't _care_!" Naruto exclaimed exasperatedly. "Would you just leave Gaara alone so easily?"

Kiba blushed. "Of course not," he admitted. "This is really severe though. I know you just want to help him. You can't help if you're dead though."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Why is everyone so convinced that he'd actually kill me. I'm not convinced at all. I don't even think _he_ was convinced when he said it," he complained. "Somehow, even when I looked into his eyes and they weren't his at all, even when there was no humanity left in them, all I could see was a wounded animal," he went on softly. "I was afraid, but I think that was just my basic instinct to avoid danger. Most of me still wanted to get closer. It was like some part of Sasuke really deep inside was just asking for me to get closer, like it was begging to be..." Naruto paused, searching for the right word. "...healed?" he finished uncertainly.

Kiba stared off for a moment. "Saved," he corrected softly.

Naruto smiled sadly and nodded. "Yeah. Exactly."

Kiba heaved a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, I get that feeling about it too," he admitted.

"Really?" Naruto asked, perking up.

Kiba nodded. "After Ren's death," he started seriously, "Sasuke would get really bad flashbacks. He was really dangerous at those times, so he would just lock himself away in his room. Just like you, even though we were always warned not to bother him when he was having a fit, I couldn't see that dangerous side of him. I could only see the pain. I could only see that he needed saving. He was being eaten alive from the inside out." Kiba sighed. "How could _I_ help him though? That's what I always thought. In the end, I took the burden of the whole family. I think that it might have helped Sasuke get better eventually too, at least a little bit. Surely, if father had taken his anger out on Sasuke, then Sasuke would never have gotten any better. Sure, he turned into an empty guy and became a nightwalker, but at least the episodes stopped. At least he didn't have to keep reliving those awful memories."

"Hm," Naruto hummed softly. "Do you think that's what happened?" he asked.

"I'm sure of it," Kiba replied. "You remind him of Ren. It was bound to happen sometime. I could tell from that very first day that you met. You stirred something up inside of him, and it was fate since then."

Naruto sighed sadly. "I don't want to cause him any pain," he said quietly, down-casting his eyes.

"I know you don't," Kiba said sympathetically. "For you two to get closer, you had to open up these wounds though. Sasuke hadn't wanted to talk about any of it before, but now you're forcing him to face demons that he's been shutting away. It'll be good for him in the end. When he's stable again, you'll be able to show him just how much you care, Naruto." Naruto peered up at Kiba, who was smiling encouragingly. "Trust me. All you need to do is just survive until Sasuke's better again. That way, you can really show him that you love him."

"I-I never said that—" Naruto began to exclaim in embarrassment.

"Oh whatever," Kiba interjected, rolling his eyes and grinning knowingly. "You will."

Naruto blushed heavily, but he didn't argue. He knew it in his core. He would love Sasuke. There was no doubt about that.

"Well, what can I do until then?" Naruto asked.

"Give him the space he asked you for," Kiba replied, "just like everyone else is saying."

"I really don't want to," Naruto complained, sighing.

"I really didn't wanna give Gaara space either," Kiba said. "You know, Naruto, you have to understand how hard it is for a vampire to be involved with a human though. At any time, you could accidentally be killed. Of course _you_ don't see it that way. I know what you're thinking. Because of the way he looks at you, the way he talks to you, from how he smiles that special smile made just for you, with all the things he does that make you blush, how he makes you feel like no one else ever has,"—Naruto blushed lightly as he realized that Kiba was spot on—"you have to wonder how he could ever hurt you. No, not this wonderful man who you've grown to love so much.

"Compared to them, we're so fragile and weak though. They could break bones just by touching us too roughly. Every second of every day, they are suppressing their urges. It's a constant battle against their instinct to kill. That's what they have to deal with. You don't want to see a monster, not when such a beautiful human being is standing in front of you. The monster is there though. It's just hiding, trying to break their resolve. It's a dangerous game, and we can't understand it because we're only human. Trust me. Sasuke _can_ hurt you. In his current state, he might; and that scares him too, Naruto."

"I know," Naruto said quietly. "I know where he's coming from, but doesn't he know where I'm coming from? Doesn't he understand how hard it is for me to just watch him disappear all the time? It's not fair to make me feel so attached and then just constantly be running away. Can't he just face his demons and face me?"

"I agree!" Kiba said passionately, sitting up at attention again.

"You do?" Naruto asked warily.

"Of course!" Kiba confirmed, nodding his head eagerly. "I agree wholeheartedly! Isn't it time for Sasuke to finally face his demons already? Isn't it time for his suffering to end, for things to change? Yeah, it is! It's been that way for years!" Kiba toned himself down and smiled fondly at Naruto. "I guess we just had to wait for you to come into our lives before he could do that though. The thing is that you don't quite understand his demons yet. That's the issue. You don't quite get what it is that's plaguing him or why it's so hard for him to face you. There's a lot buried underneath that you haven't seen."

"So why won't he show me?" Naruto asked.

"He's afraid, Naruto," Kiba replied. "His demons are scary."

"Even if I am just a human, I could help," Naruto argued. "If he could just trust me, then I could make it easier on him."

"That's what we've all thought for years," Kiba said, sitting back in his seat again and crossing his arms over his chest. "If he could just trust us again, we could make it easier. He never would though. He _won't._ I do think that maybe you could help though. in fact, I think you're actually the only person who can. If he could just trust you and open up, then you could definitely make it easier for him. You could stop his suffering, but he's not ready to heal yet. That's all it is."

"So you think I'm the one who can help him?" Naruto asked.

Kiba smiled. "I do," he agreed. "You don't know what's happened between us so many years ago yet though, so you can't understand how to handle Sasuke like this. You're not equipped to help yet."

"So why can't someone just _tell_ me what happened?" Naruto asked. "That way I can help him!"

Kiba looked at Naruto warily. "We've been here before, Naruto," he said in a very nearly scolding manner.

"Right," Naruto said, rolling his eyes and sighing. He plopped back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Ask an Uchiha."

"All you can do is leave him be until he's ready to approach you," Kiba said. "Don't be alone with him though, even if he does approach you. He's still dangerous to you. If he's having flashbacks again, he's really unstable. It's best for you to just be strong and wait." Naruto nodded his understanding. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink," Kiba added.

"He'll come back though, won't he?" Naruto asked softly, looking truly worried. "He'll come back to my side."

Kiba smiled. "Of course he will," he assured confidently. "You're what he needs. He knows that. He just has to gather up his courage. I know it's not easy to watch him suffer, but you can't really do anything else right now." A silence fell between them, in which Naruto stared dejectedly at the table between them and Kiba quietly watched with empathy. "If you need me, you know I'm here," Kiba said eventually.

Naruto looked up and smiled appreciatively, even though the light never quite reached his eyes. Sasuke was probably the only one who would have been able to tell anyway though. After all, he was the only one who really understood Naruto at all. Wasn't that ironic?

"Yeah, thanks," Naruto said. He checked the time on his phone and sighed heavily. "I'll be late for class if I don't get moving."

Kiba grinned widely. "Naruto is worried about class? How strange!" he teased.

Naruto had to smile again, this time more sincerely. He loved having the old Kiba back. Now all he needed was his old self back too.

"Call me after classes," Kiba said as Naruto gathered up his things.

"Ehhh, I kind of have plans," Naruto replied as he swung his backpack over his shoulder and started retreating from the table backwards.

"Like what?" Kiba asked, perking up in his seat and eyeing Naruto curiously.

Naruto grinned. "It's a secret," he said, winking mischievously at Kiba.

"Naruuu," Kiba whined, wanting to get into some mischief himself. After all, he knew that it was the best way to cheer Naruto up. Naruto simply chuckled and turned forward to jog away. "Try to stay awake during class!" Kiba called after his friend. "Text me if you get bored!" Naruto waved a dismissive hand and grinned back at Kiba just before he turned a corner. "And don't skip!" he heard Kiba calling out as an afterthought.

Once around the corner, Naruto slowed back down to a walk. He wasn't actually going to class at all. How perceptive of Kiba. Like he'd told Kiba though, he had plans. As Naruto headed off campus, his thoughts fell, as always, back to Sasuke. It had already been two days since their argument, and Naruto hadn't seen Sasuke even once. Sasuke had even stopped going to class completely. Of course, he wouldn't take any of Naruto's calls either. Talking with Kiba had actually been a huge help to Naruto. He could understand where Sasuke was coming from much better now. He still had one last person he wanted to consult with though. This person's opinion was probably the most important too.

One good thing about his blood bond with Sasuke was that it cut Naruto off from everyone else, so they couldn't sense his intentions anymore. If they'd been able to sense them so easily, then they would have definitely headed him off before he even got halfway there when he boldly decided to show up at Sasuke's apartment building the day before. Of course, it was pretty scary to think that none of them would know if he was in danger unless he called for them individually, but Sasuke would know. That was all that mattered because Naruto was confident that Sasuke would always be there for him anyway, even if he was on this whole "leave me alone" stint. The downside to their blood bond, though, was that Sasuke could sense Naruto so intensely all the time. More than likely, he had sensed Naruto's intention before the blond had even departed. He could probably sense Naruto approaching from a mile away too, so it was no shock that he refused to answer when Naruto showed up.

That had really been the last straw for Naruto. After that, he realized that Sasuke was serious about needing space. That was why he went to Kiba for his opinion. By that point, he was desperate for some support. He wanted someone to tell him to keep trying and to not give up. Of course, Kiba didn't say any of that. What he did say was still helpful though. Naruto didn't expect this last person that he was going to see to say all the supporting things that he was longing to hear either, but it was still important to talk to this person anyway. It was his last chance to formulate a real plan for getting close to Sasuke again. It just wasn't going to work for him if he had to simply sit back and wait for the bastard to decide that they could be friends again. Sasuke didn't have to suffer in silence. If he'd let Naruto, Naruto could help him. Naruto just needed to know how; and if Sasuke wouldn't tell him how, then he'd find someone else who would.

Naruto glanced around at his surroundings. Where was he now? Did he get so lost in thought that he'd just wandered off course? He saw a vaguely familiar building off to his right that told him roughly what area he was in. It wasn't the path that he was used to taking, but he could still find his way to his destination from here. So he'd just wandered off a little bit. It was no big deal. It'd just give him more time to walk and, in return, more time to think. This was one of the parts of town that he'd never walked around though. Now that he thought about it, he had wanted to explore down here when he'd first move in, but Kiba had designated it as one of those places that he should avoid. Naruto chuckled lightly to himself. That was way back when he didn't know about vampires. He was so innocent then. Hm. Wait... Oh, shit. He wasn't supposed to be here, was he? He glanced around at his surroundings again, a bit more nervously this time. It didn't look so dangerous, but that didn't mean anything. He began walking faster, eager to hurry up and get back on an approved path.

He heard some rustling down an alleyway. He didn't stop to be curious or anything though. Instead, he began walking even faster. He couldn't help it if his heart started pounding pretty hard too. Shit. He really wasn't supposed to be here. It probably wasn't ideal to be freaking out with a racing heart while walking through an area that was more than likely infested with vampires, but he just couldn't calm down. He was tempted to break out into a run. He felt so uneasy, like there were stares coming at him from all angles.

Suddenly, he heard a low hiss come from somewhere behind him. Naturally, he broke out into a run immediately. Before he could even get in a few fumbling steps though, someone showed up right in his line of vision. His heart leapt out of his chest and he intended to swerve out of the way, but the person had grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him back. Now he stood nose to nose with a strange man.

"I like it when they run," the man said in a deep voice, leering creepily at Naruto—who was struggling weakly to put some distance between their faces. The man chuckled deeply. "Your heart is bursting at the seams. How tempting."

"D-Don't hurt me," Naruto managed to stammer out. "Y-You'll regret it."

The man barked with laughter. "Are you afraid I'm gonna rob you?" he asked. Surprisingly, he released Naruto. Naruto scampered back a few steps. He glanced around him, only to see that his previous suspicion wasn't all that off. There were, indeed, eyes watching him from all angles. He definitely wasn't getting away, as if he honestly thought that he could outrun even one vamp to begin with. "Afraid I'll stab you with a knife?" the man asked, commanding Naruto's attention again. He began circling Naruto slowly. "Or maybe I'll shoot you with my gun," he added, cackling wildly. Naruto swallowed hard. "Mmmm," the man hummed promptly. "You are tempting, aren't you?" Naruto cursed himself internally, he was always swallowing like that in these situations.

"T-Trust me," he began feebly. "If you hurt me, p-people will know. You'll pay for it."

The man chuckled heartily, coming a stop in front of Naruto once he'd circled him entirely. "You don't even realize what kind of a place you've stumbled into," the man said. "Trust _me_," he insisted. "No one is gonna find you down here, boy. Not even the police bother with us. Do you know why?" he asked. He laughed at his own joke. "Of course not," he said. "You humans know nothing."

"I do," Naruto blurted out, hoping to at least buy himself some more time to think of what the fuck he could possibly do to survive.

The man raised a curious brow. "You do?" he asked. "You know where you are?"

"W-Well, not exactly," Naruto admitted, "but I know what you are, and I have friends just like you."

The man snorted derisively. "Pets," he snarled. "That's what you have. People like me don't associate with humans." His eyes narrowed. "We kill them," he added, licking his lips.

"Well, my friends have power!" Naruto retorted. "If I'm missing, they'll know what to do. They'll smell me on you, and they'll kill you."

"Your friends aren't gonna come for you," the man nearly sang, very amused by the whole scenario. "I'll bet they never even told you about this place."

Naruto looked around again. "What place?" he asked.

"See?" the man said, pleased. "Humans know nothing." He poised himself to attack. "You're good for nothing but a meal."

"Now, we mustn't be rude."

Naruto startled when he heard that voice from behind him, and his heart dropped even further. Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder to see a man slightly covered in shadows simply staring at him. Shit. Now he was really screwed.

"Naruto is actually my friend, so let's treat him kindly."

Now that he could see the man's face more clearly, Naruto was tempted to puke.

"Never thought I'd see you protecting a human, Sai," the man attempting to make Naruto his dinner chimed in.

Sai smirked. "I'm a vampire. I protect my meals."

The man glared at Sai, as if to challenge him. "_Your_ meal, huh?" he asked.

In less than a second, Sai was beside the man. Naruto's eyes widened as the man fell over limply.

"Yes, _my_ meal," Sai said casually, dropping the piece of the man's throat that he had ripped out. He glanced around him. "Does anyone else wish to challenge me on that?" he asked. Naruto watched incredulously as all the other vampires disappeared down dark alleys and into buildings. Sai smiled happily. "Good," he said as he began licking the blood from his hand. Now Naruto was _really_ tempted to puke, especially when Sai's eyes landed on him again.

"What do you want from me?" Naruto managed to ask.

"Hm... I haven't decided yet," Sai said with a wicked smile. "You should really be more careful," he said. "Why would you wander around near the vampire market? This is vampire territory, Naruto. Sasuke would be displeased." Sai quirked an eye brow. "Speaking of the devil."

Out of nowhere, a man appeared, placing himself defensively in front of Naruto. Even from the back, Naruto would recognize that man anywhere. Naruto couldn't help it if his heart began to soar. Sai glanced at Naruto and then back at Sasuke.

"Took you a while," he said pleasantly. Sasuke growled. "We were only talking," he insisted innocently.

"I know exactly what you're doing," Sasuke snarled. "Stay away from him, and stay away from me."

Sai faked a hurt expression. "But surely you don't mean that," he said. At normal speed, he walked up to Sasuke. Sasuke didn't move away, but he didn't get any less defensive either. Sai stroked Sasuke's cheek lovingly. "You'd miss me, I think," he said, trailing his thumb across Sasuke's lips.

Naruto's eyes grew steadily wider. Was... Was it possible that... that _Sai_ was the man that Sasuke had gone to see that night? He wasn't reacting to Sai at all. He was, apparently, fine with the man just strolling up and touching his face like that... and the way that Sai was _looking_ at Sasuke! Ugh! It was sickening! Naruto didn't want to believe it, but it sure seemed like an awfully possible possibility.

Suddenly, Sai froze up, looking as if he was listening to something that Naruto couldn't hear. "I guess we'll have to continue this later," he said to Naruto, sighing in disappointment. Sasuke growled, but Sai simply winked at him before quickly disappearing.

Naruto, thinking that now was his chance to actually talk to Sasuke, took an earnest step forward. He stopped when Sasuke turned intolerant eyes to glare at him though.

"Protect yourself, dobe," Sasuke said irritably. "Don't wander around so aimlessly."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke disappeared. Moments later, Gaara was at Naruto's side, gripping his shoulder tightly and scrutinizing the surrounding area.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Naruto sharply.

Naruto was busy staring blankly at the spot where Sasuke had disappeared though. That fucking bastard was always disappearing.

* * *

**A/N:** Can you guys believe how weird I am? Sai is actually my favorite character in this story. I like him as a sadistic little fuck who likes to screw with people's feelings xD He entertains me. I might write a one-shot of just Sai's lifestyle as it relates to this story once I'm done with it. I think that I will.

BTW! Rating changed. Again, that doesn't promise anything promiscuous anytime soon. I just thought that it was leaving the T territory by now. Don't worry though. You will get M yaoi smut smut in the butt butt before I end this fic. I don't know if I'll be posting the explicit parts on here yet, since some of you may have only read this _because_ it was rated T and there was none of that in here. If any of you regular readers are not into reading smut smut in the butt butt and you prefer not to see it, then let me know so I can plan accordingly. Otherwise, I'll just post it in the chapter and assume that you all want to read gay NaruSasuNaru sex :) or other sex... I might get frisky with other pairings too.


	15. Chapter 15: Still Lost

**A/N: **I don't know if you're still reading, but this is for the guest reviewer **Insomniac**. You asked about the conversation between Naruto and Kankuro a few chapters back when Naruto was getting in the cab. Yes, that will be explained. I'm actually glad you asked about it because I had almost forgotten about that part. That will come out towards the end though. I'm not entirely sure how many chapters I have left for this fic because I'm really writing it as I go, but I think that it's winding down. Within the next couple of chapters, things are going to be explained. I wish that I could get them out quicker, but my life is crazy. A lot of things demand my time these days, so please be patient with me. Otherwise, thank you for the compliments.

Also, **Blank Angel**, you're so cute. Thank you for reviewing every chapter as you read. Even just something as simple as letting me know that you're enjoying it helps. I get very wary of my fics very easily. I start to wonder if I actually suck at writing and ya'll just put up with me because you're masochists and you enjoy torture, but your reviews made me feel better about myself and about this fic. It gives me motivation to continue on, so thank you. Oh! Did I say that you're cute? Because you're cute :)

P.S. There might be more mistakes in this one than normal. I don't have a decent computer to do corrections on though and I didn't want to wait until I got home, since it'll still be another week before I do. I hope it's okay though.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Still Lost**

Naruto glanced irritably over his shoulder and scowled at the blond walking just a beat behind him. Seriously, accidentally wander into the vampire market once and you can't get a fucking second to yourself anymore. He should have felt reassured that his friends were taking it in shifts to protect him, but he didn't. He just felt annoyed. It had only happened a day ago and already he literally hadn't been alone for a single second. It wasn't like they were imposing, but they were still always there. It was just fucking obnoxious. He'd never had a chance to get to his destination the day before, and he couldn't very well do it while being followed left and right. The conversation he intended to have was private. He scowled at the air in front of him. Now what was he gonna do? Temari was scatter-brained, but she wasn't stupid enough to be ditched.

"We can go, you know," Temari suddenly said.

Naruto looked around at her confusedly. "What?" he asked.

"To Tony's," she supplied. "If you want to go visit Ita, we can go. That's not banned or anything. You just can't go alone."

"Oh," Naruto said simply.

"All you had to do was ask," Temari said, smiling at Naruto. He smiled back tentatively. Temari furrowed her brows as she read his aura. "You're displeased," she pointed out. "Gaara told me that you were on your way to Tony's yesterday and that you might want to try to go again today, but you haven't mentioned it. Is it that you don't want to be accompanied? Is that why you're not pleased?"

Naruto averted his eyes and shrugged. "I'll tune you out," Temari assured, earning the attention of Naruto's eyes once again. She smiled kindly at him. "It's not like us vampires hear everything all the time," she explained. "We're just really good eavesdroppers. If you want privacy though, I'll give you privacy." Slowly, Naruto smiled more genuinely at her. "Alright then! Let's go!" Temari exclaimed excitedly. "I could use a drink anyway!"

Naruto grinned at her enthusiasm and began leading her off to his car to drive across town at top speed. Before getting in the car, Temari added over the top of the roof, "Just don't tell Kiba I'm letting you skip class."

Once they were finally parked and approaching the entrance to the building, Temari stopped Naruto in his tracks. "Are you sure you want to go in?" she asked, suddenly very serious.

Naruto nodded. "Of course."

Temari simply gazed at him for a moment. "Don't leave my side," she said sternly, grabbing Naruto by the arm firmly, "and I mean that."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding, though he was wondering what her issue could possibly be. Tony's wasn't _that_ dangerous. It was Ita's bar. No one would dare do anything stupid there. Not to mention, Deidara would definitely be inside too, so Naruto would have three of them to keep an eye on him at once. He'd be perfectly fine. So what was Temari so concerned about? He scanned the area on the way through the halls to Tony's for any evidence of something out of place, something that would make Temari worry and grip his arm like it was her lifeline. Really, he could barely walk without stumbling because she was holding him so close to her side.

The moment that Naruto opened the door into Tony's, he was awarded with a familiar sight, a missed sight. Sasuke's head snapped to attention in an instant. He glared at the two blondes in the doorway, asking himself why Naruto could not understand the concept of _space_. Naruto couldn't hear from that distance, but he could see that Sasuke was growling. That did nothing to sway his resolve though. Without a second thought, Naruto tried rushing forward to Sasuke's side. He forgot, however, that Temari had an iron grip on him, and so he didn't actually move an inch. He glanced up at Temari, but her unwavering gaze was fixed intensely on Sasuke, whose hard gaze was fixed on Naruto. Slowly, Temari began leading an overeager Naruto closer to his goal, never letting her eyes linger from Sasuke in even the slightest bit.

Once Naruto was within hearing distance, Sasuke asked snappishly, "What are you doing here?"

Naruto, genuinely hurt by Sasuke's attitude, furrowed his brows. All the excitement fizzled away. This was not the Sasuke that he had been missing at all. "I didn't know you were gonna be here," he grumbled defensively.

"In my _brother's_ bar?" Sasuke retorted bitterly.

"As if you have such a good relationship that I should have just _known_ you'd come to his bar. Don't act like it's common knowledge," Naruto retorted. At the end of his short fuse, he added hotly in one, never-ending breath, "If you two have a secret relationship that you cherish enough to come out of your fucking hole for long enough to hold a real conversation, which you _apparently_ can't fucking stand to do for me, then how would I fucking know?! Because you keep everything a goddamn _secret_ from me!"

Sasuke looked stunned for a split second before narrowing his eyes. "Whatever, dobe," he snapped back harshly.

Naruto huffed out an angry breath in an attempt to calm himself down. "Don't call me that," he ground out.

"Whatever, _dobe_," Sasuke repeated slowly, concisely, crisply—a quip purposely meant to jar Naruto. There was even a slight sneer to the words, as if Naruto had suddenly become Sasuke's worst enemy.

Naruto met Sasuke's glare with a dark glare of his own. The next few moments were quiet, tense ones in which everyone else in the vicinity simply stared on uncomfortably. However, they were also thoroughly intrigued by the fact that a _human_ was challenging _Sasuke_ and that Sasuke was allowing it to happen so easily. In a manner that managed to be both submissive, which was completely unbecoming of his nature, and insubordinate at once, Sasuke finally tsked and tossed his head back to break the staring contest. Naruto zoned his vision in on Sasuke's lips as the man silently threatened everyone within glaring distance. All of the spectators standing nearby looked away quickly and milled about again, not wanting to get caught in Sasuke's sights when he was in such a nasty mood. One quick sweep around the room with his dark eyes had everyone scurrying away to leave them in some semblance of privacy.

Naruto ignored the unintelligible insult that Sasuke muttered once his gaze finally fell back on the blond again. Instead, he noted the state of Sasuke's lips. They were cracked and dry. That wouldn't have been so odd if it wasn't _Sasuke_ that Naruto was looking at. Sasuke was the perfect depiction of beauty, and he was always well dressed and groomed. For him to have dry skin or lips or anything unkempt at all was unheard of. Perhaps not many other people paid enough attention to even notice that about the man, but Naruto hadn't really been able to help it. He knew what was normal of Sasuke, and the state of those lips was not normal.

He felt like he knew every contour of Sasuke's lips especially, as he had gone over their kiss about a billion times since it had happened. He just couldn't forget those lips, not even if he tried. When he had kissed them, they were just as soft as he had always thought they would be. So why were they so dry and cracked now? It was a tiny little thing, but it was enough to be unnerving to Naruto. For even one little thing to be off about Sasuke seemed severe, and so he found himself forgetting his anger and falling into a pit of worry. The feeling intensified quickly, so quickly that he didn't even have time to voice that worry before Sasuke was responding to it.

"I'm fine," Sasuke said quietly. He couldn't help it if his expression softened and all the venom from before dissipated entirely. Those innocent, blue eyes that always looked at Sasuke with such concern and sincerity had such an effect on him though. After all, it wasn't really Naruto that Sasuke was angry with anyway.

Naruto lifted his eyes to meet Sasuke's again. He leaned forward just a bit—an involuntary shift in weight, a basic need to be closer to Sasuke, even if it was only a centimeter or two. He swept his gaze over Sasuke's face, studying the man's features closely. He had light bags under his eyes. His cheeks seemed just a tad bit sunken in. They were changes that made it seem like Sasuke had maybe just lost a couple of pounds. He didn't look much paler, as he was already as pale as one could get. There was a strange tint to his skin though. Sasuke had always seemed to glow in Naruto's opinion. His skin had always seemed ethereal. It didn't look as such just then though. It looked...

"Sick," Naruto said simply. Yeah, that was it. Sick. "You look sick," Naruto clarified, his brows furrowed in both concentration and worry.

It had only been a day since he'd last seen Sasuke, and he could tell that there was a definite difference. If he really thought about it though, Sasuke had been on that track for a while now. He was getting less and less angelic every day. He hadn't looked bad, but he did stop looking so otherworldly and start looking like your average good-looking person. He was losing that quality that set a vampire's beauty apart from any other simple human being. His perfection had simply been dulling. Sasuke's fall from grace had taken the next step though. Sure, they were just cracked lips, but it was the first mar on Sasuke's skin that Naruto had ever seen.

Naruto's worry tripled, if not quadrupled. Perhaps it was just stress finally getting to Sasuke. No matter what it was, Naruto had the urge to be closer. Thoughtlessly, he reached a hand out toward Sasuke's face, wanting to simply establish contact. Yeah, contact. He just wanted to touch Sasuke. He wanted to feel his skin, to feel their connection.

Perhaps they were all just dazed or confused, because no one stopped him right away. His fingers managed to find purchase on the skin of Sasuke's cheek. As soon as contact was made, however, everyone sprung into sudden action. Itachi vaulted over the bar and pulled Sasuke's back flush against his front in a bear hug, pinning him to the spot. Temari pulled Naruto back a couple of feet and shoved him halfway behind her. Deidara appeared out of nowhere and took up a defensive stance in the middle of it all. Naruto was shocked, to say the least, into silence. Sasuke's expression was blank though. He was, however, panting. Itachi whispered something hurriedly in his ear, and Sasuke's eyes grew apologetic. He looked at Naruto that way for a moment before he schooled his expression again.

"I'm fine, dobe," he assured.

Naruto looked down at his hand. His fingers were trembling. For some reason, there was suddenly a huge pit in his chest. It felt endless. It felt heavy. It hurt. Why was his hand trembling so much? He didn't glance up, but he knew that Sasuke was watching. He just felt it, like it was fact. Sasuke would be staring at Naruto's hand too, wondering why it was trembling as well. Wait. No... No... That wasn't it. Sasuke's hand. Yeah, _Sasuke's_ hand. It was trembling too. That was it. Sasuke's hand was trembling as well. Slowly, Naruto lifted his gaze from his own hand to Sasuke's, which was, indeed, trembling just as furiously. Naruto wanted to reach out again and still that trembling. He wanted to touch that man, that hand, that skin. That skin. Sasuke's skin. Again, Naruto stared at his own hand with something akin to bewilderment. Sasuke's skin. It was so...

"Cold," Naruto whispered, still staring at his own trembling hand. Temari and Deidara looked over their shoulders at Naruto curiously. Even Itachi ripped his attention from Sasuke to ogle at Naruto. "Why are you so... cold?" Naruto asked, never looking away from his own hand.

Sasuke's brows knit as a stern expression claimed his features. "Don't worry about me," he replied.

Naruto shook his head slowly. Gradually, his breathing became more labored. Intense emotions that he didn't understand were coursing through him. They were undefinable. They were no single thing, but they were overwhelming and they hurt. They truly _hurt_ him. He clasped his hand over his chest and grimaced hard. They hurt so badly. What was he feeling? Why was he feeling this? He felt like a spectator to that pain though, like he was standing pool side. It was easy to get drenched in the splashing water, but he hadn't yet jumped into the pool. This was just a fraction of the intense, throbbing pain. His knees began to wobble and Temari quickly turned around to stabilize him.

He was too engulfed in his own self to see Itachi whispering in Sasuke's ear yet again. His wits were not about him, but he managed to know that Sasuke was leaving the very second that Sasuke decided it. In response, he snapped his head up and reached for Sasuke before the man could get away. His eyes were wide and pleading. He didn't understand what was happening to him, and he a bit frightened by it all. He didn't want to see Sasuke to go.

"Don't," he said pleadingly. "Not now. Not at this time. Don't leave me here."

Sasuke looked purely tortured by the words, the tone of voice. Naruto's hand never made it back to Sasuke's skin though. It lost the strength to reach out any further about halfway. Sasuke held Naruto's gaze intensely for a moment or two. Naruto closed his eyes momentarily to grimace again. Once he reopened them, Sasuke was gone.

For a few long moments, Naruto simply stood there in Sasuke's wake. Slowly, his head began to clear. When he regained control of those troubling emotions, he came to a logical conclusion that Sasuke must have been some sort of trigger for him. He must have just made Naruto revisit fears that he'd already been battling for years—the fear of abandonment. Naruto must have just been overwhelmed. That was it. Sasuke was there within reach, but... Wait. That's right. Sasuke was _within reach_, but they stopped him from getting close. Suddenly very frustrated, Naruto ripped his arm from Temari's grip. Frustration escalated into seething within a fraction of a second.

"I can't get one fucking touch in?!" he boomed angrily at the three vampires before him, all of which were shocked into silence. They stayed silent for a short while, letting Naruto regain control of his emotions again.

"Naruto—" Deidara eventually tried.

"I know!" Naruto interrupted hotly. "He might kill me! I get it!" He turned away and showed his back to the three of them, rubbing his face in frustration. "Just one fucking touch is all I wanted," he added quietly, sounding less angry and more defeated now. Deidara gently touched his shoulder in sympathy. He sighed, letting his frustration be replaced with despondency.

Just outside, still standing in the alleyway and trying to catch his labored breath, was Sasuke. Naruto's emotions were coursing through him intensely. He didn't want to hurt his dobe. For now, things had to stay this way though. Naruto was right. It had only been a few days and Sasuke was already going from simply feeling sick to _looking_ sick. That was own fault though. He knew very well what he was doing to himself. It was better this way though, in the end.

Having Naruto's fingers on his skin had already tried his will enough. Listening to Naruto scream so angrily and feeling him feel such pain in his heart had almost been too much for Sasuke though. That degree of emotional output was too intense for a vampire in Sasuke's position. Not just the prospect of blood riled them up. It was a variety of things. Anything high in intensity gave them bloodlust. Their teeth and eyes would react to any highly charged situation, and Naruto had just tested Sasuke's strength severely. It was only a problem because Sasuke had no strength left to be tested. He was weak.

It was a blessing that Itachi was there. He was able to somehow get enough sense into Sasuke's brain to push Sasuke to leave the bar of his own volition, as opposed to being removed by force. However, he had only been able to get as far as the alleyway. Because of their blood bond, he could feel Naruto's aura from over a mile away. Putting a few doors between them did nothing in the way of dulling the intensity of the situation for Sasuke. Not even going all the way home would do that. No matter where he was, he would always feel Naruto's emotions. Their connection was far too intense for distance to overshadow. Even if he couldn't escape Naruto's emotional output though, his bloodlust was still quite manageable when Naruto wasn't physically around. It was Naruto's eyes that did Sasuke in though.

He could manage the emotional output on his own. It was like dealing with any other human being. He could just shut himself off. Therefore, the temptation was easy to suppress. He could _not_ manage the way that Naruto looked at him though. The kind of looks that always seeped into those eyes were his undoing. They made it impossible for him to block off his humanity. In a way, the temptation that Naruto forced on to Sasuke reminded Sasuke that he was human after all. He was unable to numb himself to emotions when Naruto was around, when he was staring into those unhindered eyes. Somehow, in a twisted way, what made Sasuke human at all was Naruto inadvertently turning him into a beast.

With those eyes out of sight, it only took Sasuke a few moments before he could compose himself enough to move _away_ from Naruto as opposed to _toward_ him. When he moved away though, it was with remorse. He would have liked to see Naruto smile for him.

* * *

Naruto tapped his pencil incessantly on his text book, laying on his stomach in his bed as he attempted to do homework. It seemed impossible though. It had been a month since he'd run into Sasuke at Tony's. He wondered if this was what Kiba had felt like in Gaara's absence. Kiba was always trying to be helpful. Naruto really appreciated that, but he was still miserable. He couldn't stop thinking about Sasuke all the fucking time. He couldn't stop thinking about that damn kiss, and about how badly he had wanted more. He couldn't help but think that, had no one been there to intercept him, he _could_ have gotten more at Tony's... even if he knew that Sasuke probably would have just bolted in any one-on-one encounter anyway.

He was still pretty irritated about everyone reacting so severely when he simply tried to touch Sasuke though. After Sasuke had left, Naruto tried to talk to Itachi, as was his original objective, but Itachi completely refused. He insisted that whatever information Naruto wanted would be best earned from Sasuke himself. He would just have to wait for it and be patient. For the next couple of days after that, Naruto was pretty cold to whoever was escorting him around. He had learned to appreciate them pretty quickly though.

After the time at Tony's, he was under the impression that they only felt the need to protect him from Sasuke and Sasuke alone. That was insulting to Naruto. Anything that insulted Sasuke's character insulted Naruto too. He realized that it was less for protection against Sasuke and more for protection against everyone else though. Now that things were whatever they were between him and Sasuke, Sasuke couldn't be expected to rush to his side anymore. Because no one could sense him ever since his blood bond with Sasuke had gotten so strong, they had to actually follow him around to keep him safe. He could appreciate that now. He didn't understand why they thought that he was in any more danger than any other human being, but he never had time to get riled up enough about that to ask. He spent too much time thinking of Sasuke.

What Naruto thought about the most was Sasuke's health. Surprisingly, he had actually seen Sasuke quite a few times during the past month. Apart from the time at Tony's, Naruto had seen Sasuke meeting with Gaara on campus a couple of times too. However, as soon as he would catch wind of Naruto, he would disappear. He always seemed to wait until Naruto caught a glimpse of him before going though. After all, it wasn't like he couldn't tell that Naruto was coming. He had to know, unless he was just too engulfed in his conversations to take notice. Still, Naruto had to wonder if the bastard was just playing games with him. Why else would he let Naruto see him but not approach him?

Naruto also saw Sasuke around the city a few times, simply watching him from a distance. He would always be off in the crowd and he'd be sure to be completely unimposing. Just like at the university, he would let Naruto see him lurking before disappearing. Every time that Naruto saw Sasuke, his health had deteriorated. He would look worse and worse each instance. Sure, Naruto only ever got mere glimpses of the guy, but even from just that he could tell that Sasuke looked sick... like, really sick.

A week ago, the last time that Naruto had gotten to see Sasuke's face, he was looking like a homeless drug addict. For the past week, however, Naruto hadn't seen hide nor tail of him, and neither had anyone else. No one seemed to be particularly worried though. Kiba did seem a bit anxious, but everyone else just acted like there was nothing to worry about. They must have known exactly where he was and what kind of condition he was in. Naruto tried to adopt their carefree attitudes too, trusting that they would have definitely been there to help Sasuke if he needed them. That seemed impossible though. Like Kiba, Naruto could only fret. He couldn't help it if he was so goddamn worried though.

That worrying made it impossible for him to focus on even the simplest of tasks, especially not homework—even if that homework was the last and most important homework assignment before winter break. Naruto sighed and threw his pencil down. It was useless! He sat up in his bed and began rubbing his temples irritably. It was utterly useless. All he wanted to do was talk to fucking Sasuke. Suddenly, a bright idea struck him. Well, in retrospect, it wasn't so bright of an idea at all. It seemed brilliant at the time though.

He closed his text book—with the notebook and pencil still inside and everything—and threw it on the floor. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed and facing his bedroom doorway, he took a deep breath. "Sasuke," he said clearly. Then, he simply waited for a few long moments. He wasn't exactly sure how this was supposed to work though. How could he be sure that Sasuke would hear him? What exactly constituted as "calling out" to someone? He cleared his throat. "Sasuke," he repeated with a bit more conviction. "Um... Come here, Sasuke," he added, shifting uneasily on his bed. "Sasuke?" he said uncertainly, feeling kind of stupid. He decided that Sasuke probably wouldn't come so easily. He would probably have to say it a lot of times before the bastard would be convinced to show up. He took a deep breath and began repeating Sasuke's name incessantly.

Suddenly, his phone rang and startled him. He took a couple of deep breaths and calmed his racing heart. He sighed sadly. It obviously wasn't working. He contemplated just letting his phone ring through to voicemail. He really didn't feel like talking to anyone. Then, the thought that it could have been Jiraiya crossed his mind. Jiraiya was probably the last person he wanted to talk to, as he was annoying and liked to talk about the travels that he was enjoying—the very same travels that he had refused to take Naruto on, despite how much Naruto had begged and pleaded. He hadn't spoken to Jiraiya in a while though. Not to mention, Jiraiya could probably provide some much needed comfort. During a time where he felt abandoned and alone, it would be nice if Jiraiya could confirm that he hadn't forgotten about his charge, that he hadn't abandoned Naruto at all. Suddenly very eager for such confirmation, Naruto snatched his phone up on what would have been the last ring.

"Hello?" he said, caught somewhere between dismal and earnest.

"Stop calling me." Naruto's breath caught in his throat. "I can't concentrate."

Terrified that the contact would end if he didn't respond immediately, Naruto blurted out, "Well, neither can I!" Thinking more deeply on his words, he added, "—not since you just disappeared from my life."

"There's a good reason for it, Naruto," Sasuke answered flatly, his voice oddly quiet. "Just let me have my damn space."

Naruto paused for a moment. "Why can't we just talk?" he asked softly.

"Last time we talked, things went bad," Sasuke replied.

"But—"

"Naruto," Sasuke interrupted softly, his voice slightly pleading. "Can you _not_ disregard my feelings? Please?"

"I would never want to disregard your feelings, Sasuke," Naruto said quietly, feeling guilty.

"Then don't," Sasuke said back. "Let me have this space."

"What about my feelings though?" Naruto asked.

"Better to hurt your feelings than your body," Sasuke replied quietly. Then, because he could feel Naruto's unhappiness, he added as reassurance, "I want... to come back."

"So come back," Naruto said quickly. "I'm waiting."

"Just keep waiting then," Sasuke said. After a pause, he added, "I have to go, but please don't call me anymore."

"Sasuke!" Naruto nearly wailed.

"I'm not leaving you. This is so that I ___can _come back," Sasuke explained. "Please, respect the boundaries."

Naruto couldn't help the tears that welled up in his eyes when he heard the soft click that denoted the end of their conversation. Now that he'd heard the bastard's voice and when it was sounding so soft and pained like that, he felt even worse than before. He wanted to be next to Sasuke so badly. He felt that bud in his chest growing even more. Soon, it would be inescapable. Naruto fell backward onto his bed and sighed heavily. He just wished that he could be closer to Sasuke. They lived less than a mile apart; and, yet, it seemed so much further.

They had gotten such a good start at being friends. Sasuke was surprisingly very good at being a normal guy and fitting in with others. When he tried, he wasn't antisocial at all. For a guy who hated social life, he was really good at it. And that kiss! Naruto literally felt things shifting in his life after that kiss. That was it. That had sealed everything. He finally had his chance to really get close to Sasuke on a whole other level and to also finally share his whole self with someone else too. In reality, he and Sasuke were kind of the same. They both had their own demons, things that they couldn't face without each other. It felt like things were going so right.

Sasuke had to go and freak out though. Sure, Kiba as convinced that this would bring them closer in the end. Apparently, Sasuke had to do this in order for them to be able to move forward, but Naruto couldn't see how forcing them to stay apart was going to bring them any closer at all. Naruto just didn't understand. Why couldn't Sasuke just pour his guts out? Why couldn't he just tell Naruto all of those damn "Ask an Uchiha" secrets of his? That way, Naruto could at least understand what the fuck was going on. Then, he could at least feel less awful about everything.

He couldn't help but feel abandoned. Sasuke had just said that he wasn't leaving, but it sure felt like he was. Was Sasuke going to abandon him, just like everyone else close to him had? After quite some time, Naruto's mind quieted down enough for him to fall asleep, but even his subconscious mind was stuck on Sasuke. So it was Sasuke's name that he mumbled repeatedly out into the night; and, eventually, it became too much for Sasuke to ignore any longer.

Sasuke showed up in Naruto's living room intending to scream at the dobe for being so relentless. He was going to make his point known. He'd even beckoned Kankuro to make sure that he wouldn't hurt Naruto in the process. He didn't trust himself, especially not now, but Naruto had to learn that he had to leave Sasuke the fuck alone one way or another. Sasuke needed the goddamn space. The dobe couldn't just keep calling him at all fucking hours of the night! He was so riled up that he didn't take heed of all the signs that would have been obvious to any vampire, so he was shocked to see Naruto curled up in his bed in a deep sleep.

"Sasuke," Naruto mumbled, followed by a soft sigh.

The dobe was calling out for him in his sleep. He had never done that before. Even in his dreams, Naruto was beckoning Sasuke. Sasuke frowned. He could feel that there was still a sad nature to that dream, but it was far less stifling than when Naruto was awake. At least there was some reprieve awaiting the dobe in his sleep. He wished that he could be what Naruto deserved in those dreams. He wished that Naruto could at least dream of him as a better man, but that didn't seem to be the case. Naruto mumbled Sasuke's name once more and his aura suddenly filled with relief, joy, and other things of that sort. Sasuke's troubles seemed to be carried away too. Upon seeing that face grow content, he had to smile.

He felt some warmth spreading within him and, in that moment, he felt human. He felt like he could climb into that bed and stay, just like Naruto wanted him to do. He felt like his thirst wouldn't be able to bother him all night either. Wait. That wasn't right. His thirst was insatiable. He couldn't last all night here. In fact, he couldn't last another second. He had to brace himself against the door frame. This was exactly what he had called upon Kankuro for. So where was that asshole? Sasuke gripped the door frame more tightly, splintering the wood there. He tried to will himself to walk away, but he couldn't. His body only had one direction, and it was forward. He felt his self-control slipping away. His dobe... His sweet dobe... His sweet... sweet...

"Don't," Kankuro whispered severely into Sasuke's ear as one of his hands closed tightly around one of Sasuke's wrist. "You're weak and fragile. If you fight me, you'll lose. If you're still conscious at all, then go home. I'll drag you there otherwise."

For a moment, Kankuro was convinced that Sasuke was really past the point of no return, so he was surprised when Sasuke actually responded. "Drag me," he said simply, and Kankuro obliged automatically.

Sasuke didn't fight. He let Kankuro take him by force. He still had some sanity left within him. He just couldn't force himself to back away of his own free will. He needed to be forcefully taken. He was weaker than the last time he'd faced Naruto in such close proximity like that. Once they were safely back inside Sasuke's apartment, Kankuro let him go. Promptly, Sasuke fell to his knees on the floor and leaned forward to support his weight on his hands. His arms were trembling slightly, too slight for Kankuro to notice though.

"You can leave," Sasuke said, not wanting to be seen in this moment of weakness.

"Why were you there?" Kankuro asked in a very business-like tone.

"He had been calling me all evening. I called his cell and told him to stop. It did get less frequent, but he still kept doing it. I needed to get my point across," Sasuke answered patiently, despite the fact that Kankuro was blatantly ignoring his request.

"And how exactly were you planning to get that point across?" Kankuro asked.

"I don't know," Sasuke replied calmly. "By screaming and yelling," he suggested.

"That was a stupid idea," Kankuro said coldly.

"I know," Sasuke ground out, losing his patience. "That's why I beckoned you."

"You almost killed him," Kankuro pointed out.

"It's your fault for taking so long just because you're holding a grudge against me," Sasuke argued hotly.

"You tried to kill me," Kankuro retorted. "Of course I'm holding a grudge."

"Then why did you come at all?!" Sasuke snapped, though he kept his head bowed down toward the ground.

Kankuro paused. "You never beckon me. I figured that it must have been important," he replied.

"You deduced that and yet you still chose to take your sweet time?" Sasuke asked irritably.

"If taking my time would have caused you just a little bit of suffering, I wouldn't have minded," Kankuro replied coldly. "After all, you didn't mind causing me pain and ruining the appearance of my face."

Sasuke was silent for a few moments. "I was feral," he eventually whispered. His tone of voice made Kankuro question his attitude up until then. "Kankuro," Sasuke went on quietly in that same strange tone, "try to imagine my point of view. I wanted nothing to do with him. I was angry when I felt such a strong connection to him. I didn't want to feel connected to a human. I tried so hard to block him out, but I couldn't. So when I felt his panic, I rushed to his side automatically without thinking. I protected him from Sai on instinct alone, and then I was forced to taste his blood in order to save his life.

"What connection we had intensified against my will. I didn't want it, Kankuro, not at all. I didn't want ___him_, but I had tasted him, so I had no choice. It took all of my self-control to retreat into that corner and refrain from murdering him after that. There was so much blood. It took everything I had inside of me. I would have been relieved to see you if I'd had any sanity left inside me. What sanity I had left was being exhausted on trying not to attack him though. I only had one instinctive reaction, and you know that."

After a pause, Kankuro sighed. "I know," he admitted.

"So you'll accept my apology?" Sasuke asked, forfeiting his pride for the moment.

"Of course," Kankuro said, taking full advantage of this rare side of Sasuke. "—but, Sasuke," he went on, "why are you doing this to yourself?" Crouching down beside the man, he added, "Isn't it just putting him in an even more dangerous position?"

Sasuke turned his face away. "Just leave," he commanded softly in an awfully suspicious tone of voice. It sounded like he was on the verge of tears to Kankuro. Kankuro couldn't be sure though because he'd never heard Sasuke's voice on the verge of tears before.

"I still see you as a younger brother," Kankuro said, ignoring that demand. "I always have and I always will, so you can't get rid of me so easily."

"It worked when I slashed your face," Sasuke retorted extra quietly—probably to hide the fact that his voice was breaking, Kankuro suspected.

"You won't get rid of me," Kankuro repeated firmly. "You have someone to protect again, so do it right this time."

"Leave," Sasuke demanded again but with even less bite than before.

"Why are you punishing yourself for feeling human?" Kankuro asked. "Isn't that what keeps us sane, still feeling like a human and not an animal? You have to face these demons, Sasuke." Sasuke stayed silent, so Kankuro went on. "Let us help you get through this in a better way. When Naruto prompted you to, you actually started opening up again. Even now, you're not forcing me away. You were slowly going back to who you used to be. You were striving to do that for him. Don't ruin all that. I know you think he's making it harder. If you let him though, I bet he can make this easier. We all can."

"You can't," Sasuke disagreed. "Just leave me alone, Kankuro."

"Why is Naruto the only one who's allowed to see you this way?" Kankuro asked.

"He's not!" Sasuke snapped. He paused before adding, "In fact, he's the last person I want to see me this way."

"So stop forcing yourself into a corner!" Kankuro argued. "Accept some help, Sasuke. Let us help you get to a place where you _can_ be beside him again. You know this distance is killing you _both_."

"It's fine this way," Sasuke insisted.

"It's not!" Kankuro shouted impatiently. "You're so tempted to attack him that you can't even see him from a far distance anymore! You're just antagonizing the situation!"

"He'll be fine," Sasuke said confidently, "because you're all following him and watching him. You'll be looking out for me especially too, so he'll be safe."

"Don't forget all the other human lives you're putting in danger!" Kankuro demanded.

"That's why I haven't left the apartment," Sasuke pointed out. Kankuro looked thoroughly put out that he couldn't even argue anymore, so he simply glared. After a short pause, Sasuke added, "The only one who will be suffering is me."

"And that makes it okay?" Kankuro asked, sounding slightly disgusted. "You don't have to—"

"Kankuro," Sasuke interrupted firmly. "Leave."

"Sasuke—" Kankuro began again. He cut off when he felt a sudden, intense emotional outburst from Sasuke though. "You're letting me feel your pain," he whispered, astonished.

Sasuke tensed significantly. His arms were trembling furiously just to hold up his weight anymore. Clearly, he had not intended to share any of his feelings with Kankuro. He said nothing, but Kankuro continued to feel his pain as it leaked more heavily into his aura by the second. Kankuro began to feel suffocated by that pain very quickly. Sasuke was suffering so badly, but it seemed like he was unable to conceal it completely anymore, not in his current state of health, not when Kankuro was here riling him up.

"Let me help you," Kankuro pleaded softly. They sat quietly for a few moments until uncertainty and fear began to flood Sasuke's aura too. "It's okay to be anxious," Kankuro said quickly. "You're not used to this. We all understand that. If you try to be different with us too and not just with Naruto, then we can help," he assured. He waited for another emotional response, since Sasuke obviously wasn't going to speak. Though he was struggling to contain himself, Sasuke kept fighting to maintain control over his emotions, to block Kankuro out completely. He was weak though... so weak.

"If you have any respect for me, Kankuro," he began at just barely more than a whisper, "then you'll leave."

"We love you, Sasuke," Kankuro said softly, touching one of those trembling arms gently. "We really love you."

Sasuke began panting heavily, and then he suddenly fell forward as his arms finally gave way beneath him. Kankuro caught the weak man as he was assaulted with a new barrage of various emotions. Sasuke's strength had given out. Everything he was trying to hold back came pouring out of him, and Kankuro was there to feel it all. In its entirety, Sasuke's emotional state was madness, and it was hard for Kankuro to handle. Feeling Sasuke's pain so fully was causing his own throat to close up with emotion. He had to fight his own tears. Sasuke had always been like a little brother to him, and now he was witnessing all of the suffering that Sasuke had been hiding for years first hand. He was feeling it all so vividly... too vividly.

Even if Sasuke had been a bit less tightly wound since choosing to get along with Naruto, it had really only been for Naruto and Naruto alone. He had still been very wary with everyone else. They had all always been afraid of losing Sasuke completely, but he stayed around and pretended to at least be friends with them as long as they left his personal life alone. They were all stripped of their titles as close friends, family, and people worthy of sharing his life with. They became little more than acquaintances to Sasuke, people he simply allowed in his company. It was mostly the fact that Sasuke meant so much to everyone, even if they had become nearly nothing to him, that made them the only people who could even tolerate his behavior. Naruto was the only one who was allowed truly within Sasuke's bubble. Forcing himself away from Naruto had forced Sasuke to become just as introverted as before though, if not worse.

Kankuro pulled Sasuke into a tight embrace. "I'm s-so sorry that we haven't b-been there," he said in a strained voice, trying his damnedest not to cry. "We ab-bandoned you." Sasuke's emotions were just overwhelming by that point. How could one person even feel so many things at once? What's more, how could he keep them so bottled up like that and not die?

"I was the one always pushing you away," Sasuke whispered after a long pause, "b-but—"

"I know," Kankuro assured. "We all know. Losing Ren changed you completely. So how about we all just admit a truce?" he suggested. "We're all to blame."

"Ren," Sasuke breathed, and then he slowly began to close up again.

Kankuro clutched him tighter, knowing what was happening and dreading it. "Don't," he begged quietly. "Don't do this again, Sasuke. Please, let me in."

Sasuke said nothing. He let Kankuro continue to hug him, but that was mostly because he was too tired to fight the man off. Eventually, Kankuro took him up to his bed and tucked him in. Sasuke simply stared resolutely at the ceiling.

Kankuro sighed. He knew that what had just happened may have been a once in a lifetime deal. Sasuke would probably rather die than let that happen again. He was truly remarkable. Even in his current state, he managed to seal himself back up again. Kankuro had said the wrong thing, and that had motivated Sasuke to find the strength to close himself off again. Kankuro had a breakthrough. For a fleeting moment, he'd actually earned Sasuke's trust, even if it was mostly out of exhaustion. Naruto had given them all the window to finally get through to Sasuke and to get back to his side again, but Kankuro was fucking his chance up. He needed to do something to show his support for Sasuke. He needed something like a peace offering to attempt to get back in.

"I want to talk, but it's hard when you're like this," Kankuro pointed out. Sasuke still stayed silent. "I'll—"

"I won't accept it," Sasuke interjected evenly. "Just leave." Kankuro opened his mouth to argue. "Leave," Sasuke repeated firmly. "Now."

As difficult as it was, Kankuro obliged. Naruto truly was their last hope now. No one else could help Sasuke, just like they had never been able to before. Naruto couldn't help if Sasuke wouldn't let Naruto be at his side though. It was all up to Sasuke then. How long could he survive like this?

* * *

Sasuke lay on his stomach in his bed. Fortunately for him, Kankuro hadn't been particularly persistent. It had been a week since their talk and he hadn't seen Kankuro even once. In fact, he hadn't seen anyone... at all. That was how he wanted it though. This was how it was supposed to be. His thoughts wandered to Naruto. He would have liked to see his dobe. He would have liked to touch his skin, to feel his warmth, to hear his voice. Hm... his voice. Sasuke could manage that, couldn't he? Even if hearing his voice would tempt Sasuke to seek the blond out—and probably kill him—everyone would be keeping an eye on him, so Sasuke would have no chance of actually getting close enough to Naruto to actually hurt him. Plus, it wasn't like just _hearing _his voice was going to drive Sasuke mad with bloodlust. His eyes would do that, but his voice... Yeah, his voice. Naruto's voice. Sasuke could manage that.

He tried to move, but nothing happened. He willed himself to reach for his phone to call his dobe, but nothing happened. Instead of being angry, his inability to react made him upset. God, Sasuke fucking Uchiha getting _upset_. Who was he becoming? Nonetheless, his eyes began to sparkle with tears. He would have been grateful for immobility in any other situation, but it was upsetting when it stopped him from being able to seek the comfort of Naruto's voice. Was that true? Was Sasuke seeking comfort in Naruto's voice? Yes, he supposed that he was. It had always been that way with Ren too. Her voice had always been calming to him. She was his anchor, his tie to humanity. She had kept him sane. Her voice had always done so much for him.

.

___"I'm scared, Sasuke. I'm so scared."_

.

That time, her voice hadn't been able to save him though. Her voice had been trembling with fear. She had been crying. Her voice hadn't been any kind of salvation. Sasuke's tears decided themselves that they would fall and soak his bedspread. He didn't really mind though. He was alone. It wasn't easy holding the tears in for so many years. Now, it might be okay to finally cry just a little bit.

The feeling of despair began to intensify in his chest. He was truly alone. He could die here... alone. It wasn't like he _would_ die here. If he did, it wouldn't be for quite some time to come still. He was _alone_ though, and that was what hurt him now. He didn't want to be alone. He wanted comfort that only Ren could provide with that skill that she had somehow passed on to Naruto. He couldn't have Naruto though. He had to remain alone. Even if he wanted to see his dobe, he couldn't. He had committed to this already, and no one was going to come and try to convince him otherwise anymore.

He deserved this though, didn't he? He deserved to feel this despair. He deserved this pain, this suffering, this loneliness. He didn't deserve Naruto at all, not one bit. The tears fell more freely. In fact, he deserved to die. He truly did.

So lost in his head, Sasuke couldn't sense the person approaching. He didn't hear them knocking on his door. He didn't hear them pleading from the other side. He didn't hear them enter when they realized that the door wasn't even locked. He didn't even smell the blood pumping through their veins as they approached. Only when they finally spoke did he finally react.

"Sasuke? A-Are you dead?"

Sasuke couldn't speak. He could only cry more earnestly. Even if he'd just been throwing a pity party, he didn't actually want to see Naruto. It was too dangerous! It was better to be miserable and alone than to be in Naruto's company and constantly run the risk of killing him.

Seeing that his body was trembling and hearing small whimpers escape from his lips, Naruto decided that Sasuke wasn't dead at all. How wasn't he though? He was sickeningly thin. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. He touched Sasuke's skin and it was ice cold. He gasped. He made himself comfortable on the bed and then pulled Sasuke into his lap, wrapping the comforter snugly around the man as well. "Why are you so cold? Why are you so thin?" he asked. Sasuke's eyes were shut and he stayed silent. Tears kept falling, though he made no noise now. "Can you say something to me?" Naruto asked.

"Go away," Sasuke managed to whisper. The tone he used was heartbreaking though. There was no conviction to it at all.

"Yeah right," Naruto replied. "I'm really worried about you."

Sasuke could feel his sanity slipping away. He had no strength in his muscles at all, but he started to feel like his arms could move again anyway. "How did you get here?" he asked very quietly. It seemed that he couldn't manage much more than a whisper.

"I walked," Naruto replied lightly.

Sasuke kept his eyes closed. If he couldn't see his target, then maybe he'd be less inclined to attack. If those eyes just stayed out of his line of vision, then maybe it would turn out okay. Although, his bloodlust would be pretty black and white this time. There would be no emotional trigger. This time, it would simply be out of hunger. There was blood in those veins, and Sasuke was literally starving. It was inevitable.

"They're supposed to be watching you," he said, sounding purely miserable.

"They are," Naruto informed. "Itachi has been with me all day. In fact, he's just standing outside your door. He said that he wouldn't stop me if I wanted to come over and try to talk to you... so I did."

Sasuke felt out the surrounding area and, indeed, discovered Itachi just outside his door. So he'd have to be careful. He'd have to be sure to suppress his emotions as much as possible. Wait. What? No. God! No! He had to project his emotions! He had to practically scream his intentions at the top of his lungs. ITACHI! GET IN HERE! Still, he sealed himself off expertly.

"Idiot," he groaned. "I could kill you."

"Really?" Naruto said. He snorted, completely unconvinced. "I'd like to see you try."

"You can't even move," Naruto went on, his voice getting quiet again. "What's wrong with you?" he asked worriedly.

Sasuke managed to wiggle an arm free from the comforter cocoon. Trembling, his hand sought out Naruto's skin. "Naruto," he whispered, his voice croaky.

"Y-Yes," Naruto asked, grabbing Sasuke's hand with his own. After a slight moment of hesitation, Naruto placed Sasuke's hand on his cheek.

Sasuke was at war with himself. Naruto had no idea at all what he had just walked himself into, what he would not be walking away from. That thought alone had more tears prickling at the corners of Sasuke's eyes. They struggled to fall though. The beast was emotionless. It did not cry, and it was taking over now. Nonetheless, tears fell more freely from his eyes when he opened them and sought out Naruto's blue orbs. They were sparkling with tears too.

"Naruto," Sasuke croaked out again in a broken voice. It was partly true emotion, but it was also just an antic to make himself seem vulnerable in order to bring his prey in close enough to make the kill. He moved his hand to Naruto's neck and lightly began tugging him down. Naruto obliged like a true dobe. Once Naruto was close enough, Sasuke would use up whatever energy he could muster from his muscles to attack for good, and he would attack to kill. There was no sense in trying to feed from wriggling prey when you were so weak. Dead people didn't fight back, so Naruto would have to be dead.

"G-Go home," Sasuke whispered in a pathetic tone. "Please, go home." He gripped Naruto's neck more tightly, his actions contrasting his words. They were so close now. A few more inches and Sasuke would spring to life. He was so close to that beautiful neck. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he wanted to kiss it or bite it. That argument was settled quickly though. He needed that neck. He needed it. Oh, fuck! He really needed it! "I need it!" Sasuke said with more conviction than he'd used up until then. There was a wild quality to his tone of voice, a quality that Naruto completely missed.

"Let him go," Itachi said sternly, one hand placed on Naruto's chest to keep him from leaning down any further. He stared intensely into his brother's eyes. Naruto stayed quiet while Sasuke's inner animal showed its true colors. He hissed agitatedly at Itachi. He was weak. He knew he couldn't fight, but the animal inside didn't care. It simply wanted its meal, even if it had to exhaust itself to death for it. His fingers tightened on Naruto's neck, beginning to leave a bruise and causing Naruto to grimace.

"Sasuke, ow," he complained, trying to push himself up and out of the hold. That only caused Sasuke to tighten his grip even further, prompting Naruto to complain yet again. "_Ow_," he whined and then winced.

"Let him go!" Itachi said more forcefully. Sasuke simply hissed again, so Itachi had to pry his fingers off of Naruto's neck. He jerked Naruto off of the bed. Naruto stumbled to catch his footing and understand what had just happened. One second he was sitting on the bed and then he was stumbling around behind Itachi the next. Even if he didn't quite understand how Itachi had moved him so easily or quickly, he did understand that he'd been moved.

"There you go stealing my chance to fucking touch him again," Naruto grumbled angrily. "You said I could have privacy."

"That was before I realized what was going on in here," Itachi said. "I thought that things felt a bit odd, so I glanced in to check. It's not that I didn't know his condition. _Because_ of his condition, I expected to feel malcontent from him, but I didn't. When I saw you cradling him in your lap paired with all the things I heard you saying, I had to come in."

Naruto's brows knit in confusion. "You mean you already knew he'd be like this when we got here?" he asked.

"Yes," Itachi answered simply.

"And you just didn't care?!" Naruto shouted, suddenly very angry on Sasuke's behalf. "You just let him—"

"Naruto!" Itachi snapped, efficiently shutting the blond up. "Of course I care, but there's nothing I can do. This was his decision, and he refused interference. He's choosing to starve himself," Itachi said gruffly, kneeling on the bed and rolling up his sleeves. "That's not my fault."

It took Naruto a minute to register Itachi's words. Of course. Starving. That was the obvious conclusion. Why else would Sasuke be nothing but skin and bones? Slowly, Naruto returned his gaze to Sasuke. "Why do you have to be so fucking dramatic?" he asked, though there was no bite to it at all.

"Don't insult my brother," Itachi demanded harshly as he pulled the blanket off of Sasuke and repositioned him so that he was now laying in Itachi's lap. Naruto looked back at Itachi, startled by that reaction, and Itachi met him with a hard stare. "You don't have any clue as to ___why _he's doing this, so shut up." He held Naruto's gaze until Naruto was too embarrassed and looked away. Internally, he beckoned his partner. Within a couple of seconds, Deidara appeared in the room beside Naruto.

"Naruto," Itachi began again, looking weary, "I let you come for a reason. I wanted you to see what you were getting into. In this desperate state, Sasuke was trying to lure you in, to bring you close enough for his instincts to take over. He's too weak to move, but once the prospect of a meal shows up, we will do whatever we can to survive. You're just a meal to him. That's it."

"No," Naruto said quietly, looking down at the ground. Itachi's eyes were too difficult to look into though. Naruto had never seen the man in such a serious light before. "I refuse to believe that," he added meekly, afraid to refute Itachi but unwilling to concede all the same.

"That's because this isn't Sasuke," Itachi went on to explain. "This is a monster. You cannot forget that sometimes this is what you will have to face. If you intend to continue on at my brother's side, you must understand that he is a predator and you are his main food source."

"No," Naruto said again even more meekly.

"Do not be naïve!" Itachi boomed, starling Naruto with his suddenly very loud voice. Naruto bowed his head even further. "Accept the facts or else you'll get yourself killed!" Itachi demanded impatiently.

After a moment, Deidara piped in. "Do you understand, Naruto?" he asked gently. Naruto nodded slowly, refusing to look Itachi in the eyes again.

"Good," Itachi said. He looked back at his younger brother in his lap, who was resigned to simply glaring at him. He sighed heavily, knowing that Sasuke would be against what he was about to do if Sasuke had any humanity left within him to argue at the moment.

"I'm sorry," Itachi said quietly before placing his wrist against Sasuke's lips. Without hesitation, Sasuke latched on. His hands flew up from their limp position at his sides to grab onto Itachi's arm tightly. Itachi didn't even flinch, even though Sasuke had a bone-crushing death-grip on him.

He used his free hand to stroke Sasuke's hair gently. He knew that Sasuke would hate it, but Sasuke was too preoccupied to care at the moment. It made Itachi feel better though, to be able to touch Sasuke like this. It had been so many years since his little brother had allowed them to interact as brothers. That was the price that he'd had to pay for leaving Sasuke at such a young age though. When he looked back into Sasuke's eyes, he could see him slowly returning to consciousness. The first thing that he saw past the wild quality of those crimson orbs was a request, a silent but desperate plea prying its way to the forefront.

Itachi sighed. Despite his original intents, he simply said, "Naruto, go home."

Naruto snapped his head up. "Wait!" he exclaimed indignantly. "You said I could talk to him! I haven't gotten a chance yet!"

"Next time," Itachi promised, still gazing at his little brother intently, reading everything that was hidden behind those eyes.

Tears began welling up in Naruto's eyes. "Please!" he begged. He began to panic even more when Deidara grabbed him by the arm and prepared to escort him out of the apartment. "Please!" he exclaimed again, those tears falling down his cheeks. He couldn't help it if he got emotional though. He had been wanting this moment so badly for so long. To see Sasuke and then have him taken away again was just torture. "D-Don't make me go!" Naruto pleaded. "Just let me stay for a little while longer!"

Itachi didn't even look up, or perhaps he couldn't bring himself to. He could turn into a stern guy real quick, especially if it involved his loved ones. He wasn't heartless though. He knew how much Naruto had been looking forward to this. The man had practically skipped over here when Itachi said that they could come. Now Itachi was being forced to send him away. He couldn't look into those dejected eyes that were pleading for sympathy, for pity. He had to heed his brother's request though. Sasuke came first, and what little part of Sasuke that was beginning to awaken again wanted Naruto to leave. Itachi had to do this, even if it broke his heart to break Naruto's heart. He had to be stern.

"Go home," he repeated quietly.

"Itachi!" Naruto said desperately.

"He'll be fine," Deidara whispered in Naruto's ear, pulling him into a loose hug. "If Ita can just have some time to talk to him, then maybe he'll get better so that you two can be next to each other again soon." Naruto quieted and watched Sasuke longingly. "It'll be better soon. I promise," Deidara assured. "Let's go," he crooned, gently tugging Naruto along. Reluctantly, Naruto allowed Deidara to lead him away.

* * *

******A/N:** I've got a song for this chapter. It's from Sasuke to Naruto, and it'll hurt your little hearts. It's ___Still Lost _by ******Tom McRae**. Yeah, Sasuke's feelings had to be visited too. Underneath all of that cold, brooding exterior is just a silently suffering guy. I even kind of hate what I've done lol Just when they were getting close, I split them up again.


	16. Chapter 16: You Never Wanna See Me Again

**A/N:** This has taken forever. FORGIVE ME! I'm going to be going out of town for a few days though, so I focused and got this out. I know it's been forever and you guys are probably like wtf... but here ya go :3

**Warnings:**  
—Blood & self-harm.  
—Drug abuse.  
—MURDER D:

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: But You Never Wanna See Me Again**

Naruto sighed lightly, tapping idly on the wood of the bartop as he awaited Itachi's return. He knew that Itachi had been going to see Sasuke every morning for the past couple of weeks. He wanted to intercept Itachi and beg to be taken along. He never did though. No, he _couldn't_. He couldn't work up the nerve. What he was afraid of, he wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps it was just the prospect of Itachi saying no. If he got his hopes up again just to be torn down, he wasn't sure how he'd handle that. Perhaps it was Sasuke though. Perhaps Naruto was afraid of what Sasuke had become.

He couldn't even hope to understand what was happening with Sasuke, as he hadn't earned the luxury of understanding. He hadn't earned Sasuke's trust or his love, two things that he needed in order to be let into his closely guarded life and, in return, heart. Naruto wasn't allowed knowledge though. He was constantly left in the dark. Whatever Sasuke was going through was something that Naruto could not yet understand.

He could understand those eyes though. He could understand the look that Sasuke got when he was going feral. He could understand the moments when his life was in danger. Sure, he tried to deny it right to Itachi's face, but he understood. He couldn't lie to himself. He had felt the fear and apprehension when Sasuke had tried to bring him closer. His deepest instincts were telling him to get away, that he was getting closer and closer to not a man... but a monster.

He hated that word with all of his might. Monster. It was a sick and degrading term. Yet, he had to use it. There was no sugar-coating this situation. Sasuke had tried to kill him. He had cleverly used Naruto's own feelings against him in order to pull him in. Itachi was right. Naruto was just prey. He couldn't keep avoiding these terms. Monster. Prey. He had to face it, to embrace it, and to understand that it only covered _half_ of what Sasuke truly was. If he couldn't do that, then he couldn't have any sort of future with the man. He couldn't very well live beside Sasuke if he refused to face the fact that he could very possibly become Sasuke's dinner if he wasn't careful. He couldn't afford to be careless, not if he wanted to be back at Sasuke's side.

He didn't understand much, but he understood that Sasuke had a bitter past. There was something that terrorized him every day of his life, something that Naruto had some kind of connection to. Ren. Naruto was like Ren. He gleaned that much. But who was Ren? _What_ was she? What was she to _Sasuke_? How was Naruto like her? What had happened with her? Why did her name make Sasuke so scared and so quick to clamp up? And why did she influence Naruto and Sasuke's relationship too?

If Naruto had been a stronger man, or perhaps just stupider, he would have begged Itachi to take him along to Sasuke's days ago. He couldn't though because, yes, he was afraid. He was afraid of Sasuke. All the courage he could muster up only afforded him the leisure of walking to Tony's and simply waiting for Itachi to return this morning. Then, he could just ask about Sasuke. That would be enough. He just needed to know that Sasuke was okay, that he was getting better. He needed to hear that he would soon be able to be beside him again, that he would be able to get closer to the man. He needed to be able to earn the right to some answers. Or maybe answers didn't matter as much as just being near Sasuke again.

Lost in thought, Naruto didn't even hear Itachi enter. The man strolled up to the bar and vaulted over it silently. Naruto continued to stare at his fingers as they nervously drummed on the bartop. Itachi simply watched in silence for a few long moments before setting about his morning duties. Itachi's movement caught Naruto's eye. Surprisingly, he didn't startle though. He was somewhat over the sudden appearances of his vampire friends by this point. There was something more important on his mind too. He had no time for shock and awe.

"How is Sasuke?" he asked eagerly and, yet, so hesitantly.

Itachi sighed and glanced up from his work of wiping off the last remnants of water from a group of nearly dry glasses. "You're not supposed to be wandering around alone," he said evenly.

"I'm not," Naruto ensured. "Deidara is around here somewhere."

"Yes, and he's been around here ever since I left. Meaning he wasn't with _you_ when you came over," Itachi retorted.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked meekly.

"I know where he is and who he's with at all times," Itachi answered.

"That's a little over-protective, don't you think?" Naruto commented.

"It's like that with all vampire couples," Itachi replied. "If you were a vampire, it'd be like that with Sasuke too." Naruto bushed lightly at the implication that he and Sasuke were a couple. Itachi ignored it though. "Because of my bond to Dei, I can sense him at all times without thinking about it. Therefore, I know exactly where he is and what he's doing naturally. Therefore, you wandered over here all alone, didn't you?"

Naruto flushed at having been caught in a lie and down-casted his eyes. "I was just worried," he mumbled.

"Yes, I know," Itachi said. "You've been worried enough for every vampire in the city to notice, but you can be worried and have an escort at the same time, Naruto." He spared a reprimanding glance up from his work. "Sasuke won't forgive me if you end up dead."

"Fine," Naruto said. "I'll be more responsible. So how is he?"

Naruto was awarded nothing but a long pause. He was just about to speak again when Itachi finally answered. "He's alive."

Naruto sighed a sigh of annoyance. "Itachi," he said firmly, "that's not enough for me. What's going on?" Itachi glanced up at Naruto momentarily before returning to his task. After a few long moments, Naruto decided that he was being ignored. "Fucking tell me!" he demanded.

Itachi set the glass he was working on back down and planted his hands firmly on the bar, his hard gaze fixed on Naruto's equally unwavering stare. They simply stared at each other intensely for a few moments. "He's alive," Itachi finally repeated before returning to his work again.

Naruto scowled at the man. "I don't understand why I'm always the one left in the dark!" he snapped. "You do realize that I'm the one who cares about Sasuke the most, right?"

Itachi snorted. "Is that so?"

"Yeah!" Naruto assured loudly.

"Hmm," Itachi hummed. "You're probably right because you've known each other for so long," he said mockingly.

Naruto huffed. "So what? Doesn't mean I don't care about him," he retorted.

"Never said you didn't," Itachi said easily.

"You know what?" Naruto began angrily. "I can't get any closer if you all keep pushing me the fuck out!" he hollered, slamming his fists down on the bar. "Just fucking tell me how he's doing!"

Itachi held Naruto's furious gaze for a few seconds before saying simply, "He's alive."

"Just tell him," Deidara said from behind Naruto before the latter could get any angrier. He strolled up and placed a hand on Naruto's back, a gesture of solidarity. "He's worried, Ita. Is that so bad?"

Naruto knew that, after one glance at Deidara, Itachi was done for. Itachi sighed in defeat. "He goes to the underground market a lot, so I've heard, but he still hadn't stocked his apartment," he began, "so I don't know what he's going there for. Now that he's strong enough to deny, he won't accept my blood. He only ever took just enough from me to get stable again. The fact that he doesn't look any weaker tells me that he's not starving himself anymore. The fact that he doesn't look any stronger either after two weeks tells me that he's feeding only on vampires. Our blood isn't nourishing in any respect. It can keep us going, but it doesn't help or hinder us. In short, he's just surviving."

Naruto thought the information over quietly for a moment. "So he needs blood?" he eventually asked.

"There's nothing you can do, Naruto," Itachi quickly assured, "so just let him work this out however he wants." Naruto didn't seem moved by the words, so Itachi went on, "He doesn't want help." And, because Naruto still didn't seem fazed, he added, perhaps a bit more harshly than necessary, "—especially not yours."

"I know," Naruto said in a suspiciously calm manner. "I'm just curious. That's his issue, right? Blood."

Itachi glared but hesitantly answered, "More or less."

Naruto grinned. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Itachi eyed him warily. "Why are you so happy?" he asked.

Naruto snorted with laughter. "Because, Itachi, I love your brother," he said cheerfully. It took a second for him to realize what he'd said, but he blushed crimson when he did. "I-I mean," he began stammering. "I-I just... u-uh..."

Itachi simply smirked at him. Even Deidara couldn't hide his grin.

"Don't be embarrassed," Deidara urged. "It's cute."

Naruto's eyes widened and he stammered more unintelligible things before simply turning and walking briskly away. "S-Someone escort me home!" he demanded loudly, his face the brightest red it had ever been. A chuckling Deidara hurried after him.

* * *

Naruto went over his provisions mentally for the millionth time. Three syringes full of anti-venom in his backpack. Two full bars of specially laced chocolate in his pants pocket. It was a good thing that Kankuro was thoughtful enough to give him these things. They would finally prove useful. Although, they would have been especially useful the night that he'd gotten attacked, but he was in no position to utilize them at all at the time. Plus, Sasuke was there to save his ass. In any case, he hoped that they would do their job now.

He glanced nervously at his surroundings. He was already in sketchy territory. In fact, he had been for about two blocks now. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary though. He didn't have that feeling of being watched from all angles this time. He reassured himself that he'd be fine. He remembered a time when Kankuro assured him that no one would touch him simply because he was Sasuke's. That wasn't true at all at the time but it was almost definitely true now, so he should be protected by that status... right?

Although, Kankuro did also say that it would only take one brave vampire to toss all caution to the wind and take a stab at one of the Uchiha family's soft spots. People would want to hurt him just because he was claimed by Sasuke too... but that was where Sai came in. He also claimed Naruto. As far as this city's vampires were concerned, two very intolerant vampires had a stake on Naruto. He would be fine. No one would attack him... right?

He glanced around himself nervously again, but the coast was still clear. He was approaching the spot where he had last been attacked by a vampire. This time, though, he _wanted_ someone to approach him. As insane as that sounded, he needed a guide. Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately, one was revealed.

"Back again?" a voice called out to him from the shadows, not daring to actually approach. Everyone had gotten Sai's memo loud and clear. Add that to the rumor's that he was also Sasuke's pet and everyone was convinced to stay a fair distance away.

Naruto tensed. "Don't come close," he warned.

The man didn't step out from the shadows, but Naruto could feel the leer on him anyway.

"What are you wandering around here for? Have you not learned your lesson?" the man asked patronizingly.

"Just tell me where the entrance to the market is," Naruto demanded firmly, trying to sound courageous and unmoved—even if he really felt like neither of those things.

The faceless man snorted. "Why the hell would you wanna go down there?" he asked.

"Just tell me," Naruto replied.

There was a long pause. Naruto felt his uneasiness rise as he felt more and more eyes resting upon his form. He would be fine... right? Suddenly, a small silhouette formed from the shadows. Naruto tensed, ready to slip his hand into his bag at any moment. He was frozen solid when a child began to approach him though.

"She'll show you the way," the man said flatly.

The little girl walked up and grabbed Naruto's hand. She smiled kindly up at him and started pulling him along. He followed her in astonishment. He knew that they must exist, but... well... he guessed he'd never really thought about it. A vampire _child_. This little girl couldn't have been any older than six. She hummed pleasantly as she led him around a corner into an alley. His eyes were transfixed on her golden hair loosely flowing behind her as she gracefully walked along. She peeked back at him with one bright, blue eye and giggled. Her voice was soft and innocent. If she attacked him, what could he do? How could he ever touch this innocent little girl roughly or any child at all, for that matter?

He continued along behind her absently as she led him down some steps and through a door. Finally, she stopped and let him go. She pointed to a door at the end of the hall that they now stood within. "It's through there," she said softly. She looked up at his face and smiled weakly. It was clear to Naruto that she feared this place. "Find what you're looking for and leave," she instructed. Naruto nodded and slowly began walking forward. "Be careful, mister," the little girl added from behind him. He spared one last glance back at her small face before she disappeared.

He gulped hard as he faced the door again and took slow steps forward. He hadn't really prepared for this as well as he thought he had. This was the _vampire market_ for fuck's sake... and he was relying on a fucking _reputation_ to keep his ass safe. How could he walk through that door and expect to survive? He supposed that whoever was beyond that door had sensed him and smelt his blood already anyway though. He had come this far, so he might as well just go on. For Sasuke. Courageously, he pulled on the handle of the door and pushed it inward.

For an underground market, the place was immaculate. It wasn't dark or dank in any respect at all. There were what seemed to be little shops lining what was like an avenue. He could see that the format was relatively the same in any direction. It was like a small town, if anything, within the building, and there were vampires _everywhere_. They were stopped frozen at every shop, all silently staring at him. Slowly, he entered and let the door swing shut behind himself.

"Umm," he began, his mouth bone dry. He cleared his throat. "Can anyone tell me... where to... get blood?" he asked meekly.

Not a single person stirred. They simply stared. For a short, tense while, Naruto simply stared back, unsure of what the hell else he could do. He was in the thick of seriously questioning his sanity when someone finally spoke up.

"Oh, dear. This won't do."

Naruto was instantly put off, but he found it difficult to react in his current position. He sought out the source of the voice. He found the man leaning leisurely against a shop to his immediate left, grinning at him in amusement.

"Not you," Naruto said. It was intended to be a snarl, but his nerves were weak under the scrutiny of so many dangerous creatures.

Sai barked with laughter. "Don't be so cold," he said. "After all, I'm the only one here who isn't thinking about killing you." Naruto spared another glanced around the crowd of people. He looked back at Sai uneasily, but tried to scowl nonetheless. "Don't worry," Sai said, kicking off the shop and strolling toward Naruto. "I'll take care of you." He winked at Naruto as he came to a stop beside him. From one of his glares around the room, everyone slowly went back about their business. Sai looked back at Naruto and smiled. "Shall we?" he offered, nodding for Naruto to follow him. Reluctantly, Naruto did as expected of him. He didn't really have much of a choice though. "Humans don't come to this place," Sai began, "obviously." Naruto rolled his eyes. Yes, that _was_ obvious. "—but I guess you're here for Sasuke," Sai added.

Naruto tensed a bit. "What would you know about it?"

"A lot more than you think," Sai said easily. "Sasu and I are so close, you see."

Naruto snorted. "Yeah right," he muttered.

"I'm hurt by that reaction," Sai said dramatically. "I know that you're here to get him blood so he doesn't starve himself," he informed, glancing over his shoulder at Naruto, who was one step behind with his eyes narrowed into a glare. "See? I know things," Sai gloated.

"Doesn't mean anything," Naruto said harshly.

Sai shrugged. "I also know that he doesn't really _need_ any blood," he went on, "so you're risking your life for nothing at all."

"You don't really know anything at all then," Naruto said, smirking slightly.

Sai only smirked back. "Feeding on vampires is enough to keep him going," he informed. "He doesn't need supplements."

Naruto downright scowled. "Why do you know so much about his situation?"

"How could I not?" Sai said back easily. "He's only been attached to me like a leech."

Naruto's heart stuttered and so did his footing, but he recovered quickly. "You're lying."

"Why would I do that?" Sai asked innocently. "Ever since Halloween, I've had to feed double just to please his insatiable appetite." He smirked devilishly. "In _and_ out of the bedroom."

Naruto's mouth went dry. Was Sai telling the truth, or was he just taunting? Was... Was _Sai_ the one that Sasuke had gone to see on Halloween? Had Sasuke truly been with Sai all along?

"What else do you know?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Hmm... well... I wouldn't want to give his secrets away," Sai replied. Naruto glared at him, so Sai added, "—but I guess you could just find out for yourself."

He stopped and glanced at the shabby structure they now stood in front of, prompting Naruto to follow his example.

"Apparently," Sai began, "my skills in the bedroom aren't euphoric enough for him..." Naruto tensed. "—so he often comes here for a little something extra. Who can blame him though?" Sai shrugged. "Everyone needs an escape. Although, I did advise him against needles. Why mar that beautiful skin of his, right?"

Naruto snapped his eyes back to Sai's smug face. "What?"

"Oops," Sai said, covering his mouth in mock innocence. "I've said too much, but since we're already here and I can't exactly stop you from finding him in room 5B..." He trailed off, shrugging.

Naruto rushed heedlessly past the curtain and down the hall beyond, scanning the doors for 5B. As soon as he found it, he burst in without reservation. The room was small and it had a shabby bed in the far corner with nothing but a ragged blanket on it. What he saw _on_ the bed was what had his knees wobbling instantaneously though. There Sasuke was, tube wrapped around his arm, head leaning back against the wall, and needle still stuck in his arm.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, rushing over and ripping the needle out of the raven's arm. He didn't pause to worry about ripping Sasuke's veins, although that was a very real possibility with acting so brashly. The emotions coursing throughout him were so intense that all sense left him completely though.

Sasuke quickly came to life once the needle was snatched away. He had already taken his dose... well... fifth dose... but the needle was still precious to him. He didn't care who it was, what they were doing, or why. He simply needed his needle back. The drugs must have made him sluggish, though, because he went about trying to snatch his needle back from Naruto at surprisingly normal speed, despite how dire the situation was to him. Naruto, however, began to play an expert game of keep away. In a fit of frustration, Sasuke slammed Naruto up against the wall hard and snatched back his prize. Without even realizing who it was that he had just confronted, Sasuke scrutinized his needle to check it closely for any damage. If it was cracked... oh... if it was cracked, then he would murder that piece of shit right then and there.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto hollered indignantly.

Sasuke did not response to his name though. He was still very oblivious of the fact that Naruto was _Naruto_. So Naruto did the only thing that he felt equipped to do other than yell or perhaps cry. He balled his fist and punched Sasuke clear across the face. That snapped him right into vampire mode. He staggered back a couple of steps before hissing wildly and slamming Naruto back against the wall in the blink of an eye. His fangs were bared for a fight—a murder, to be more accurate. Naruto whimpered breathlessly in pain as all the air rushed out of his lungs, but he refused to shut his eyes. He wanted Sasuke to see him, to really _see_ him.

In that moment when Sasuke finally met Naruto's gaze, a little piece of himself came crawling back into his skin. In a fashion that was not at all befitting of his attitude as of late, his fangs snapped back to a much less threatening state and his eyes cleared instantly. They even began to water. For once, Sasuke was in complete control. Slowly, he backed away, letting Naruto drop back down to stand on his own two feet. He swallowed thickly and shook his head in slight denial. He hadn't... He hadn't just done such a thing to Naruto... to...

"Naruto...?" he choked out hoarsely.

"How touching," Sai commented, leaning casually against the door frame.

Sasuke snapped his attention to the other vampire. "What did you bring him here for?" he snarled, his fangs once again bared.

Sai mocked hurt. "What? Little ol' me?" he said, batting his eye lashes innocently.

Sasuke, having no patience for these games at all, advanced on Sai quickly. His hand was already halfway through a downward motion to slash at Sai's face when Sasuke appeared before the man, but Sai caught Sasuke's wrist tightly and stopped him dead in his tracks.

Sai tsked disapprovingly. "I don't like being touched that way," he said, suddenly very serious. "Back off," he commanded. Sasuke's lip twitched momentarily into a defiant snarl, but he was begrudgingly glared into submission anyway.

"You must be confused, Naruto," Sai commented, taking note of the blonde's bewildered expression. "Let me explain." He released Sasuke's wrist and ran his fingers through the man's hair. Sasuke scowled but did nothing else. "You see, Sasuke is quite compliant when he's had his poison. He's especially obedient when you're the one supplying him with it." Eyes still trained on Naruto, Sai moved his hand from Sasuke's dark locks to, instead, caress his cheek gently. "He's like puddy in the palm of my hand."

Naruto felt the urge to puke; but, then again, Sai always had that effect on him. "D-Don't touch him," he demanded weakly. "S-Sasuke..." Sasuke refused to look at Naruto. "Don't... Don't let him touch you," Naruto said, though it was more of a plea. Sasuke clenched his fists and turned his head down and away from Naruto's eyes, which flashed with hurt at the gesture. "I don't believe this," he muttered quietly.

Sai chuckled. "No?" he said, clearly very amused with the whole situation.

Suddenly, he was in the narrow space between Naruto and the wall. One of his hands was clamped under Naruto's chin, pulling up to expose his throat, while his other arm was slung tightly across Naruto's mid-section, holding their bodies together and keeping Naruto's arms from getting in the way.

"Then let's see what he does if I touch you like this," Sai suggested, hissing in Naruto's ear.

Naruto began to squirm. "Let me go!" he demanded.

Sai rumbled with chuckles. "Hah! Look at that! He won't even look at you!" he exclaimed gleefully. "You see, Naruto? He's not yours." He placed his lips right up against Naruto's ear and whispered, "He's mine."

Naruto struggled more fervently. "S-Sasuke!" he called out angrily, demanding the man's attention.

Sasuke only turned further away. If he interfered, then Sai would stop supplying him with drugs along with the other more illicit things that they did together too. He hissed at himself quietly, despising himself for how easily he was controlled by Sai. The drugs were already affecting him, though, and it was hard to focus on much of anything at all. Even if drugs affected vampires a bit differently than humans, five syringes of heroine was enough to throw him significantly off kilter.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called out more desperately, but he still received no reply.

"Sasuke~" Sai sang so pleasantly that it was _un_pleasant. "Haven't you been dying to taste his blood again? I'll hold him for you." He forced Naruto's chin up even further, causing Naruto to grimace slightly and labor harder to breathe. "He's ready~"

Sasuke tensed incredibly and turned away completely, bracing himself against the wall with both hands to keep his temptation at bay. Although, the high he was getting made that quite difficult. Bloodlust and drugs did not mix well. Sasuke didn't usually have to worry about that little issue though because this was around the time when Sai would usually let Sasuke feed on him... among other things.

"No?" Sai chirped. "Well, I know _I've_ been dying to get another taste," he commented.

Naruto truly began to panic then. He tried to thrash wildly against Sai but to no avail. He couldn't move even an inch away from the man. "S-Sasuke!" he hollered. "D-Don't just stand there!" His eyes began to water when he felt Sai's lips on his skin and the terror intensified. Naruto's emotional output had Sasuke trembling. The situation was overwhelming for him and he began to pant heavily. "S-S-Sasuke!" Naruto cried out desperately. He let out a sharp cry of pain when Sai finally plunged his teeth harshly into his neck. After a moment, Sai bit down even more firmly, causing Naruto to release a loud sob.

And then Sasuke snapped. He was unaware of what he was doing really, for he hadn't commanded his body to move at all. Some basic part of his being made him move though. The smell of Naruto's skin being broken, the imagery of his blood on Sai's lips, it was maddening to Sasuke in so many different ways. By the good grace of god, though, Sasuke chose Naruto's well-being over both drugs and blood. The part of him that still felt connected to Naruto, the part that was still sane acted out.

He timed the moment perfectly. When Sai finally retracted his teeth in order to suck out the blood, he removed his lips from the skin for just a fraction of a second, and that was all that Sasuke had needed. He appeared before Naruto, gathered both of Sai's wrists in one of his hand, placed his other hand on Sai's forehead, and then slammed his head back into the wall. And he did it all in one fluid movement. There was a split second where Sai tried to counter, but Sasuke was too quick and Sai was caught off guard. With Naruto still sandwiched between them, Sasuke heedlessly bit into Sai's throat. He pushed his body against Naruto's heavily in order to pin Sai where stood against the wall. Sai hissed vehemently and desperately tried to release his hands from Sasuke's grip while bucking violently to get the men off of him. Sasuke only pressed into Naruto more firmly, refusing to let Sai move even an inch.

Naruto tried to reach up and cover his wound, but Sasuke was in the way. He began to feel extremely woozy, and he knew that he needed anti-venom right away. He couldn't move though.

"S-Sas'ke," he slurred as his eyes began to droop.

Sasuke paid Naruto absolutely no mind at all. Naruto's head started to feel very heavy, but he wasn't too out of it to recognize when Sai began to grow weak. It suddenly occurred to him that Sai was _dying_. Sasuke was _killing_ him.

"S-Stop," Naruto muttered. "Sas'ke, stop."

When Sai stopped moving altogether, Naruto's eyes began to water. The man was an asshole and a nightwalker and just plain awful... but Sasuke... Sasuke didn't have to _kill_ him. Naruto didn't want to believe that _his_ Sasuke had killed a man so easily. He wanted Sasuke to stop, to return to himself; but he didn't. He continued to suck at Sai's neck, extracting every drop of blood that he could get. That scared Naruto, as he was bleeding openly and Sasuke was completely out of it. He remembered Itachi's warnings, and he knew that he wasn't safe. That fact hurt him deeply, but it was true. Sasuke would probably kill him too as soon he was done with Sai.

The tears that were welling in his eyes fell. He couldn't even hold his head up anymore, so it thudded down onto Sasuke's shoulder. His arms were completely useless at his side. His eyes were closing. He was so weak, so close to blacking out. Somehow, though, he managed to mutter Itachi's name. _Somehow_._  
_

A few long moments later, Naruto heard Sasuke hiss viciously as his body was moved off of Naruto's. Unable to support himself at all, Naruto began to fall forward. He was thankful, _so thankful,_ that someone caught him. "S'ke," he murmured weakly, but it was lost beneath more violent hissing. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his neck that caused him to whimper. Almost instantly, he started to feel better, and he knew that it had been anti-venom. He listened, waiting for someone to speak and clue him in on what was happening now, but the room went silent.

"Are you okay?" he heard Deidara's soft voice ask after a moment. He felt a hand smoothing over his forehead into his hair.

"Y-Yeah," he replied, finding it gradually becoming easier to speak.

"Here," he heard Deidara say as something gently prodded at his lips. "Eat this."

He opened his mouth obligingly and accepted the chocolate. He chewed on it weakly and peeked open his eyes. Deidara's face slowly came into focus. He tried to smile, and he figured that it must have been alright because Deidara smiled back.

"Do you think it's alright if I move you?" Deidara asked.

Naruto nodded, so Deidara guided his arms to his neck. "Hold on tightly," he said, scooping Naruto up bridal-style. Naruto did as he was told, and feeling his arms actually react to his commands gave him relief. He could feel strength returning to his muscles steadily.

Deidara began to move, but not as quickly as Naruto had come to be used to. He suspected that Deidara was only trying to be considerate by not going too fast. "I should take you home," Deidara said softly.

"N-No," Naruto began to protest.

"I know," Deidara assured before Naruto could say anything more. "You want to see Sasuke." He paused. "I shouldn't," he said, "but Itachi needs me." They came to stop and Naruto removed his head from where it rested in the crook of Deidara's neck to see the front of Sasuke's door. Deidara lowered Naruto down gently onto his feet but kept an arm around his waist for support. He took a slow breath. "Brace yourself," he warned before the door swung open.

"What were you thinking?!" Itachi shouted at Naruto, grabbing him by the shirt and yanking him away from Deidara.

"Ita!" Deidara exclaimed immediately. The rest was said through a simple gaze. Itachi stared back at Deidara furiously for a moment before letting Naruto go.

Naruto's strength had returned to the point of being able to at least keep from collapsing, but he was still grateful when Deidara grabbed him by the elbow for extra support. Gently, Deidara guided him into the apartment past Itachi's reprimanding glare. All was silent in the room, and that confused Naruto greatly. Once inside, he began to ask, "Where's—"

"In the bathroom," Itachi interjected, his gaze hardening significantly, "mutilating himself."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wh-What?" he asked.

Just then, they heard the soft click of the bathroom door handle being twisted. Everyone turned expectantly toward the sound. Itachi, thinking it best to trap Sasuke in the apartment, closed the front door and locked it. At least Sasuke having to unlock it would give him an extra moment to interfere if Sasuke should try to leave, as he was in a completely crazed state for what Itachi could tell.

Slowly, the bathroom door opened and Sasuke emerged with blood dripping heavily down his forearm. Naruto's first instinct was to approach. Deidara's grip on his elbow wasn't budging though, so he simply stumbled where he stood. Sasuke refused to meet anyone's eyes or move any further than the doorway of the bathroom. He didn't know _why_ he came out. It was just... Naruto. His presence... it called to Sasuke.

"S-Sasuke?" Naruto murmured, his voice trembling at the sight of him.

His shirt was cut through in various places, causing blood-soaked strips of fabric to hang off of it randomly. There were deep gauges along the side of his neck and down his left forearm, all dripping blood. In short, he looked gruesome. As Naruto called out to him softly, Sasuke twitched and turned his face away.

"Is he... feral?" Deidara asked uncertainly, his grip tightening on Naruto's arm.

He had tried to read Sasuke upon approaching, but Sasuke was sealed off expertly. Deidara could only tell how dire the situation was because he could feel Itachi fretting frantically. He hadn't the time to take Naruto home. The need to be near his mate at such a moment was too powerful. Sasuke wasn't letting a single emotion slip through his defense though. Deidara had no idea what he was feeling. It was just wishful thinking that Itachi would be able to figure out.

"I don't know anymore," Itachi replied. He took a step toward Sasuke, which earned him a hiss. It was quiet but telling, at least to Itachi. "He's not feral," Itachi supplied confidently. "He's Sasuke, but there's something off about him still. I don't know what it is though."

Slowly, Naruto began to understand the situation. Sasuke wasn't feral because he had just drained Sai dry, so his bloodlust would be at bay for the time being. As for the fact that his behavior was still so strange, as if he _was_ feral... well... that could only be attributed to one thing.

"Drugs," Naruto said quietly. Everyone, including Sasuke, turned to look at him. He averted his eyes from them all. "He's on drugs."

Itachi turned back to regard his brother. His jaw clenched tensely. "Sasuke... Drugs...?"

"Fuck off," Sasuke interjected. "I'm already coming down."

Itachi began to breathe a bit more heavily as the weight of his emotions crushed down on his chest. "What's become of you?" he asked softly, tears welling in his eyes. "Why... Why are you... doing this?" He paused for an answer, but Sasuke simply turned his face away again. Itachi's chest constricted. He could understand what Sasuke was seeking, and so he felt empathy for his brother. "There was a time when I too—" he began.

"Don't speak to me as if you understand," Sasuke interjected. His voice was soft but the words were harsh. They cut through Itachi's like a hot knife through butter. He remained frozen to the spot, his head resolutely turned away; but his chest began to move more rapidly as he began to pant slightly. Containing his emotions was becoming a task. "You have no _right_ to speak to me at all," he went on. Itachi's expression grew more concerned, but he didn't have the chance to speak before Sasuke continued. "I've been fine on my own without you, Itachi, for years. I am fine." He ground his teeth together and clenched his fists tightly. "So just leave," he demanded, pointing a shaky finger at the doorway. "All of you," he added. "Leave."

For a few moments, Itachi was silent. He spent a few seconds simply sorting out his feelings. "No," he eventually said softly, earning himself the attention of Sasuke's eyes once more.

"You don't understand," Sasuke growled.

"So explain it to me," Itachi offered.

"I don't..." Sasuke trailed off and swallowed thickly. He turned his back and leaned heavily against the wall, staining it with blood. "I don't _want_ to," he said quietly. Now that he had turned away from the judgement that would manifest in those eyes, his anger was fading into something more dangerous. He began to feel deeper, darker emotions struggle to take a hold of him. They were almost impossible to restrain. "I want to... suffer," he added hesitantly.

"Why?" Itachi asked softly, keeping his voice gentle and quiet. He did not want to shatter this vulnerable moment of Sasuke's by acting too harshly.

Sasuke paused for a moment before decidedly going on. "Because this is all I deserve," he finally said, his voice soft and bleak. He leaned off of the wall and gently touched his wounded arm. "Because I don't deserve help," he went on. "I don't deserve to be looked upon kindly, not after the things that I've done. I... I hate myself, Itachi..." he nearly whispered, "and I want to suffer for my sins." He paused and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Can't you all just let me do that and leave me be?"

"How could we?" Itachi replied, moving toward Sasuke. Sasuke didn't react violently, so he continued to advance slowly. "We're here to help you."

Something about the soft quality of his voice was niggling at the back of Sasuke's brain though. He couldn't accept it. He didn't _want_ it. It made him angry; but he welcomed the anger. He preferred it to misery.

"I don't need your help," Sasuke ground out, clutching to his anger like a lifeline.

"Sasuke—" Itachi began gently.

"I don't need your help!" Sasuke shouted suddenly, whipping around in fury and causing everyone to startle. "I needed your help _years_ ago! Now you're too late!" he snapped.

Itachi staggered back a step from shock. Taken aback, his eyes widened. For a long moment, he was completely dumbstruck. When Deidara, having left Naruto to support himself, approached and gently touched his back, though, Itachi was able to recover. "Sasuke... I... I'm sorry," he said softly.

Sasuke barked with manic laughter. "Sorry?!" he repeated. "It's too late for sorry!"

His head pulsed.

He advanced and grabbed Itachi by the shirt, shaking him in fury. "Sorry won't change anything!"

Another pulse and a flash of a memory he had suppressed.

"Sorry won't bring her back! Sorry won't save our sister! Sorry won't forgive me for my sins!" he shouted.

Images of Ren's lifeless body plagued him.

"Sorry doesn't change a goddamn thing, Itachi! NOT A FUCKING THING!" he screamed, rattling Itachi frantically.

Itachi didn't even try to stop his tears from falling. "I know," he croaked out, "but I _am_ sorry. I... I don't know what else to d-do, Sasuke," he said, grabbing the other's wrists to stop from being thrown around like a rag doll.

"FUCK YOU!" Sasuke screamed as much as he sobbed, his chest heaving heavily.

Deidara tried to gently peel Sasuke's fingers from his mate before the situation got out of hand. Sasuke kept an anguished gaze on Itachi for a moment longer before turning on the blonde and swiping at him furiously. Deidara managed to avoid getting scratched in the face, but he ended up with a deep mark across his chest instead. Sasuke was instantly thrown to the floor when Itachi's fist slammed across his face though.

"Don't touch him!" Itachi boomed, throwing his arm across Deidara protectively. His voiced cracked from tears that were equally angry as they were guilty.

Without hesitation, Sasuke counterattacked. He jumped up and slammed Itachi against the wall across the apartment. He sank his teeth into Itachi's shoulder, intending to rip the skin out savagely; but he was forced to let go when Itachi's fist slammed into his gut. Itachi shoved him hard across the room and was about to jump atop of him when Deidara appeared before him and brought him to a halt. Deidara pulled Itachi into a tight hug, shushing him quietly; and, instantly, Itachi was subdued. Sasuke, however, was another story. He, apparently, had no problem attacking the both of them ruthlessly, even in such a vulnerable position. And, had Naruto not stepped in, he probably would have caused them both irreparable damage too.

Bravely, though, Naruto placed himself between Sasuke and his goal. And, much to Naruto's relief, Sasuke came to a sudden stop. He stood huffing heavily only inches away from Naruto's face. It took Naruto a good few moments to get his breath back, and he was only able to manage a whisper when he did.

"Don't," he said quietly.

It was not a command. It was not a plea. It was but a tiny word with no conviction at all, but it didn't even matter. What got through to Sasuke's brain was not the word at all but, rather, the blue eyes sparkling before him. Slowly, Sasuke backed away from Naruto.

"Listen to your brother," Naruto said quietly.

"But... he... abandoned me," Sasuke replied just as quietly, his eyes almost vacant.

Naruto took a step forward but was stopped when Itachi grabbed his wrist. "Sasuke, no one here wants to hurt you," he assured softly. "Itachi, especially, wants to help. Let him in. Let us all in." After a moment, he added, "I'm here." That only seemed to infuriate Sasuke though.

Sasuke snapped back to life. "I never wanted this," he said aggressively, his expression growing sour. "I never wanted ___you_! You just showed up out of nowhere and fucked my whole life up! I was ___fine__ b_efore! I was ___happy _with Sai! Because of ___you_, I killed the only fucking person who understood me though!" he hollered. "You fucked my whole life up, dobe! You ruined everything!"

Naruto's mouth was glued shut. He simply stared on in astonishment. Was that so? He swallowed thickly and released a shaky breath. No... Sasuke was just upset. He was... high... really high. He was just off his rocker. That was all. He didn't mean that... he didn't... or... did he? Truthfully, Naruto had been living in a fantasy, hadn't he? He had fabricated Sasuke's feelings simply because his own were so inevitable. At most, Sasuke had expressed a mild interest. By no means at all should Naruto have been led to believe that Sasuke truly care for him... and... yet... he had. He had believed it so pathetically wholeheartedly that he couldn't even find the strength to breathe under the weight of Sasuke's words. That... was the truth... the cold, hard truth... the truth that Sasuke had never divulged. Naruto was just a burden.

"I love you," Naruto eventually breathed out.

And speaking the words was like an anvil to his chest, not at all as liberating as he had imagine they would be. He had finally embraced those words and these feelings. It had blossomed from a seedling into a full-fledged emotion in his heart. It was love. It was passionate love. He needed Sasuke so completely that it was painful... but that would never happen. For a few moments, Naruto was speechless to his own confession. Everyone else fell completely silent too, all looking at the blond expectantly.

"—but..."

Tears welled up in his eyes, tears that burned his heart. He should have been used to this though. He was often abandoned. Sasuke was no different. He knew this feeling well. Still, it was hard to get the next words off of his tongue. It was hard to seal this encounter with such finality. After everything, could he walk away from Sasuke easily? But did he have a choice? It was all thrown into perspective for him. Sasuke had illuminated everything. This was never meant to be. It was a fool's wish. That was it.

"—b-but... I... I never wanna see you again," he finished, his voice breaking slightly.

Sasuke stared back at Naruto, his eyes wide. He seemed to finally realize what he had said. He swiftly appeared before Naruto, cradling the blonde's face in his hands. And, for once, he looked like Sasuke again. That only crushed Naruto even more though.

"Naruto—" Sasuke began softly.

"Sasuke," Naruto interjected quickly, cutting Sasuke off before he could progress.

.

___"Sasu," Ren whispers pleadingly._

_._

Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head lightly, trying to dispel the image in his head. Naruto took that moment to step out of Sasuke's reach. Sasuke quickly grappled for him again, but Naruto stepped further away and shook his head solemnly.

.

___"Ren..." Sasuke whispers softly in response, his senses slowly coming back to him. Her voice finally did its work. He was tethered back to earth, but it was too late. "Ren!" he cries out, cradling her face in his hands. "Oh, God! Ren!" he sobs as he begins to hyperventilate._

.

When Sasuke's vision refocused again, it was on the back of Naruto's head as it walked out the door. And, suddenly, his legs couldn't handle his weight anymore. It was all that blood he had lost. That's what he'd blame it on... but he wouldn't lie to himself. There was an ache in his chest, a hole in the shape of a certain blond, a hole that sucked him of life itself. In the wake of Naruto's pain, Sasuke couldn't even barely _breathe_... and it was all his fault.

* * *

**A/N:** I found this song to match this chapter super fucking well, so I'll just put it here for you guys :) It's _Swans_ by **Unkle Bob**.


	17. Chapter 17: The Swing of Things

**A/N:** I know some of you are gonna be like wtf about my choice this chapter, wondering why Naruto is with someone else before Sasuke. Sorry, not sorry. This is how I chose to make Naruto deal. Don't worry though. Just because I've written a lemon now doesn't mean a good, juicy one between Naruto and Sasuke isn't to come. Trust me. It's still a Naruto/Sasuke pairing. Patience.

Warning...  
—Yaoi. Boy x boy. Lemon. Right off the bat. Beware.  
—Brutal treatment. It's not awful, but it's there.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: The Swing of Things**

"Let go," Naruto demanded softly.

The man currently attached to his neck did as instructed and peeked up at Naruto expectantly.

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Roll over then," he commanded.

Without hesitation, the man did as instructed and positioned himself on all fours. He looked back at Naruto over his shoulder, compelled to maintain eye contact with the blond. Even if Naruto wasn't looking at him, he still felt the urge to be gazing at the other. It was really beyond desire though. It was an intense, burning need.

Naruto placed his hard length in between the man's cheeks, watching himself as opposed to returning the other's intent gaze. There was no need to stare. His hold on this guy was solid, as it always was now that he was so practiced at this sort of thing. He probed experimentally at the guy's entrance. That, however, caused the man to stir a bit, a tiny hiss escaping from his throat. It was neither vicious nor threatening. It was more like a vampire's interpretation of a mewl, actually. Nonetheless, it was unwelcome.

Naruto snapped his eyes up, quieting the man instantly with a deep gaze. It was unnecessary, for his eyes had done all the work, but he verbally commanded the man to be quiet anyway. Y'know, just for good measure. Or maybe he just liked asserting his dominance. In any case, noises like that were utterly unacceptable and would not be tolerated.

The man nodded his head once in understanding, allowing Naruto to return to entering him slowly. Naruto pushed himself in at an agonizingly slow pace, causing the vampire before him to squirm. Still, the vamp never took his eyes off of Naruto's form. He stopped a barrage of hisses in his throat because Naruto had commanded him to stay silent. He couldn't help but to pant when Naruto was finally in to the hilt though. Much to his delight, Naruto didn't shut him up this time. He took that as a green light to at least breathe.

Naruto groaned as he started to move slowly, pushing down on the man's lower back with nearly all his weight. The vampire caught more hisses in his throat, absolutely detesting the discomfort that Naruto was putting him through. There had been no preparation save for a few rough fingers on Naruto's end. Thus, although Naruto moved slowly, the experience was painful and discomforting. Luckily, though, the pain was far second to the discomfort, so at least the guy wasn't writhing in agony. It wasn't all painfully uncomfortable though. There was a slight tinge of pleasure in there already too. The vampire stayed quiet though, only allowing himself to release heavy breaths—quiet things that wouldn't bother Naruto.

Naruto picked up the pace, grunting as he began to push himself into the man with more force. The other gripped the sheets tightly in return, unable to stop a hiss as Naruto became more brutal. That earned him a hand wrapping tightly around his throat. Naruto's eyes were boring into his harshly as he grimaced under the strain of Naruto's weight on his neck. It was lucky for him that vampires didn't _need_ to breathe as much as humans. He could survive this treatment for about ten minutes. After that, though, he would begin to blackout. That didn't mean that it wasn't still entirely uncomfortable to have his windpipe crushed though. His eyes grew pleading, but there would be no mercy for him.

"I said, be quiet," Naruto growled, pounding into the guy with renewed force.

The blond's unforgiving eyes stayed trained on the vampire's face for a few moments until he finally tilted his head back, reveling in the pleasure. The other felt relieved now that Naruto wasn't looking at him so menacingly anymore. He could at least begin to try to enjoy the experience now. The hand around his neck did not relent though, and so it was a task to focus on the pleasure as opposed to the pain and general discomfort of the situation. There was a piece of him at the back of his brain telling him that just being with Naruto alone was pleasure enough, making it impossible for him to get upset enough to fight back. He was under a chokehold, figuratively _and_ literally.

After a few seconds, the pleasure did catch up with him. "Nngghh," he groaned. "N-Naruto..."

Naruto grimaced. "Don't say my name," he commanded.

"Nggghh. Hah! Hah! S-Sorry..."

"Shut up and just moan."

The vampire did as told, groaning louder by the second. Most of it was theatrics just to appease Naruto, but that didn't mean that it didn't feel good. For the most part, it felt great. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that Naruto would never let him find ecstasy though. He wouldn't be given a release unless he could facilitate it himself. That thought in mind, he reached a hand down to stroke himself too, making his groans gain in sincerity. Naruto didn't protest. He could tell when they faked. If it made him sound more genuine, then Naruto wouldn't complain. All he was concerned about was himself, and he liked to hear them moaning. It helped him finish.

As he neared his climax, he began to slam into the man even more forcefully. The vamp was nearing his limit for breath, though, and he began to wheeze slightly, his lids growing heavy. Naruto sadistically savored the sound and crushed the guy's windpipe more tightly in his hand. The vampire wheezed loudly, one hand loosely gripping Naruto's wrist. The latter cracked open his eyes open to see the vamp's fangs bared for a fight that he wouldn't even dare to initiate. His face was scrunched up in pain and his cheeks streaked with tears. Naruto just pushed down on the guy's lower back with more force, causing the vampire to release a strangled cry from the sharp sting pain. That brought Naruto right to the edge.

He released the man's neck, who promptly began to whimper in relief. He kept his hazy eyes trained on Naruto as the blond released himself with a few satisfied grunts and groans. When Naruto pulled out, though, he decided that he wasn't quite satiated yet. He scooted back on the bed and rested against the headboard, watching the man before him trembling as he struggled to not simply collapse completely.

Naruto grinned devilishly. "I'm not satisfied," he declared.

The vampire weakly crawled over to Naruto and settled down in between his legs. He took the partially flaccid length in his hand, the other running carefully up the blond's thigh, and looked up to Naruto uncertainly. Naruto simply stared at him as the vampire tried and failed repeatedly to retract his fangs. He began to breathe more heavily, afraid of what Naruto's reaction would be if he couldn't get himself in check.

Naruto rolled his eyes and pushed his hands through the other's hair, coming to a stop at the back of his scalp and yanking backward to force his head up. "Just suck it," he commanded before loosening his hold to give back some of the guy's freedom.

The vamp did as told, gingerly taking Naruto's length in his mouth and sucking warily. His fangs scraped lightly against the flesh, causing Naruto to gasp unabashedly. He wasn't exactly accustomed to the feeling. He'd never had one suck him off after they'd become unable to retract their fangs; and, yes, there always came a point in every one of these encounters when they couldn't retract them. Every vampire, Naruto had learned, became this way when you tired them out enough. It was an instinctive defense, meaning that they were in survival mode. None of them would dare touch him maliciously though, not unless instructed to do so.

He found, however, that he didn't mind the sensation of the fangs against his sensitive length. The man was careful to be extremely gentle, and Naruto was enjoying it. He released the guy's hair and leaned his head back against the headboard. It wouldn't kill him to be gentle for once too, he decided. He would let the man be and do what he wished without any overzealous guidance from the blond.

Wishing to please him, the vampire continued to suck Naruto's member tenderly. He swirled his tongue all around it, making sure that his teeth only offered the lightest of scrapes. He paid extra attention to the head every time he bobbed up to it. He went slow and steady, building Naruto up gently. After a few long minutes of this treatment, Naruto was panting heavily. With a few more skillful licks and sucks, Naruto was thrown over the edge. He released himself in the other's mouth with a drawn out moan, bucking his hips with every spurt. The vampire didn't back off at all. He swallowed Naruto's seed dutifully, continuing to suck until Naruto was completely dried up and flaccid. When he finally released Naruto and sat back on his heels, he became painfully aware of how hard he himself was. Naruto regarded him for a long moment, shamelessly taking in his frustrated state.

"You're still hard," he pointed out.

The man nodded. "I am," he said softly.

"Should I help you with that?" Naruto offered. The man's face lit up completely, but Naruto only snorted derisively at him. "Yeah right." He pushed the vampire aside and stood from the bed. As he dressed himself, he spewed out instructions. "Do not stalk me. Do not contact me. Only come if I call your name." He paused before adding stiffly, "Otherwise, do not respond to our bond at all."

"But will I see you again?" the other asked earnestly, causing Naruto to pause at the door.

He glanced over his shoulder. The man was attractive enough and he'd given Naruto what he wanted. He was the perfect specimen. "You're mine now," he replied. "You have no choice." Then, he left.

* * *

Two months after Naruto had last seen Sasuke and his life had fallen into shambles. He chose to spend his time forcing bonds upon vampire after vampire. It was actually a fairly easy task now that he knew how to command himself properly. He wasn't a normal human being though. His blood was addicting.

After Naruto's bout with Sasuke, Kankuro thought it an appropriate time to drop a giant bomb on his head. He'd told Naruto that it was time they discuss something, since Sasuke was officially cut from his life. While he still might be protected somewhat by the raven, people would get more daring now. The temptation that vampires felt for him went beyond the fact that he was precious to some pretty powerful people, people that a lot of vampires would love to take a stab at.

Naruto, apparently, was an extremely rare class of human being. There was a deformation in his blood. It mattered to vampires—hell, you could even say that it was crucial to them—but it was harmless to humans and would really make no difference at all in his life. In short, he would live rather normally. That was, of course, if one discounted the fact that he lived in a world full of vampire as was not, unlike the vast majority of the population, totally oblivious to it any longer. Not to mention the fact that his blood made him exceptionally more desirable than any other human being as well. Kankuro had described it by saying that if blood had a scent, then normal humans were average while Naruto was more like a fragrant flower. It wasn't that he necessarily smelled _good_ but, rather, that his scent was extremely prominent. It was hard for any vampire to resist such an enticing waft of blood. Kankuro informed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to mask his scent. And, worse yet, it was at least five times as powerful when his blood was actually spilled.

For normal human beings, bleeding around vampires would be like swimming with a cut in shark infested waters. One can only imagine how that would end up being for Naruto then. While most vampires have the ability to simply turn their thirst off in a way—meaning that they would be able to ignore the temptation of blood for the most part—those very same vampires would become like slaves the prospect of _Naruto's_ blood type. Vampires called it Blood Type X. Not many, if any, truly understood the anomaly. There did seem to be some sort of a pattern to it though. When one carrier died, another was immediately born. That was about as far as common knowledge permitted about Type X though, that and one other thing that no one really understood. In the beginning, there had been nine of them and they were each referred to by different names—the ichibi, the nibi, the sanbi, the yonbi, the gobi, the rokubi, the nanabi, the hachibi, and the kyuubi. Each had their different telling traits about them, but each were, at their most basic, carries of Type X.

After their deaths, new Type X holders, which after a few generations would become known as jinchuuriki, were promptly born. The weird part was that the first nine were almost invincible. They were hardly affected by vampire venom, if at all, and they had senses evolved enough to rival any vampire. They were never brought near the precipice of death, although many vampires had tried. The story, Kankuro assured, was extensive. He'd perhaps get into it at another time, but all that really mattered at that moment was the fact that each of the nine died at the very same time. After their deaths, new carriers were immediately born. As their identities were discovered, though, it was clear that their abilities were not as honed as the original nine. It seemed that as their bodies grew, so did their skills.

Having figured that out, a couple were killed while they were still young and relatively weak. After that, it had never again been a generational thing. The trend remained that whenever one died, no matter what age or time, a new one would promptly be born, even if they'd had no affiliation whatsoever with the last jinchuuriki. More often than not, though, the trend tended to stick to people who did, in fact, have some sort of bond—parent to child, sibling to sibling, things like that. Although, that was not to say that there hadn't been completely unconnected births of jinchuuriki. Though they still corresponded with one of the nine jinchuuriki forms, their outsider status often earned them the dual nickname of reibi. In any case, the generational trend was broken and all jinchuuriki from that point on would always be different ages and at a different levels.

Naruto fell into the category of a kyuubi. Kankuro had informed that he could tell this from Naruto's healing abilities and his heightened senses. While he was still nowhere near the level of a vampire, much unlike the original nine, these skills were actually much more honed than any normal human being. There was also the chance that he could strengthen these skills as well, meaning that he could learn to heal within seconds and hone his senses just as well as any vampire. Each jinchuuriki had the ability to become as strong as the originals. It was just up to them to figure out how to go about that and how to live long enough to do it. So far, none had ever reached the original nine's level.

Naruto came to understand that his blood was actually like a drug. Once consumed, a vampire would become addicted. It would be as if they were under a spell. Taking any human being's blood creates a bond to that human being anyway. That bond's strength, however, relies on the strength of the relationship between the human and vampire. Naruto, on the other hand, creates bonds of an entirely different caliber. His bonds depend solely on his own will. Although, the vampire's will, depending on Naruto's relation to them, can have a slight affect on the bond too. It would only take one drop of his blood to capture a vampire in his spell though. And as long as he wishes for the vamp to be loyal to him, it will. It will do as he says, whatever he says and whenever he says it. It will focus on him and him alone unless commanded otherwise. He would become, essentially, its master.

While every jinchuuriki's blood holds the same potency and while they can all command a vampire in the very same way that Naruto could, they each have their own nuances. Any kyuubi had always been skilled in the art of manipulation, especially when it came to seduction. Because of that, the animal that began to become associated with the kyuubi was a fox. Every single one of the kyuubi jinchuuriki had always been sly and cunning. While Naruto often blundered around like a fool, he could be extremely cunning at times as well. Kankuro had already seen it within Naruto multiple times. And it wasn't hard to see that foxy sort of attitude when he so easily manipulated the vampires in his little sexcapades.

Naruto's existence as the current kyuubi had likely been ignored up until now only because of where he had lived. While leeches tended to dwell out in the countryside where they could get away with killing humans more easily, this particular city's population resisted that trend. They liked to congregate in the city's slums instead and stay out of the country. There was no definite reason for why. It must have just been luck and good fortune that kept Naruto safe for all of his life.

While most vampires already know that any jinchuuriki would be able to take away their free will the very instant they tasted their type X blood, they would still opt to try and make a meal of a jinchuuriki anyway. Some of them are hell bent on killing the jinchuuriki and some are simply attracted to the scent. That's simply due to the fact that Type X is so mouthwatering that it overrules reason almost completely. Now that Naruto had learned to command himself as the kyuubi always has, now that he'd mastered dictating one's actions with but a simple look in his eye, he used it. He had many partners, many vampires under his spell; and as a way to cover up his misery, he used them brutally. He indulged in their bodies and punished them... and that was probably because he, truthfully, wished to punish himself. He forced upon himself a slew of fake, forced, and shallow bonds because he didn't feel right creating anything with any value. No, that was supposed to be for Sasuke and Sasuke alone. Sasuke was supposed to be his one, true bond. That had been taken from him though, so this was how he coped. But it kept Sasuke off his mind, so he wasn't complaining.

After parking his car and climbing the stairs, Naruto finally entered his apartment. He was _going_ to take a shower right away and wash the sweat and sex off. That was, of course, until his newest housemate made himself known. Kiba stood in the doorway of Naruto's bedroom, both hands on his hips and a disapproving look in his eye.

"What?" was all Naruto said as he brushed passed Kiba to get into his bedroom.

Kiba turned around and narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "What do you mean _what_?" he said. "This is the third time this week, Naruto."

Naruto had never _told_ Kiba about being a jinchuuriki, but it wasn't like Kiba didn't know all about it anyway. He had never known Naruto was one of them, but living with vampires all his life made it awfully difficult to not know the legends of it. He'd heard from Kankuro that Naruto was, in fact, the current kyuubi. It wasn't hard to put two and two together, what with his knowledge of the kyuubi's notorious knack for manipulation, when Naruto started disappearing more and more. Kiba had no idea, at first, where Naruto was going, not until he began to see poorly hidden bite marks appearing on patches of his friend's skin. It was easy for him to analyze the situation and realize what Naruto was doing after that.

Naruto just shrugged, as if the situation was hardly peaking his interest. "I have an appetite," he said flippantly.

Kiba huffed and sat down heavily on Naruto's bed, thinking that Naruto sounded ironically like the vampires he claimed to hate. "You are the same guy who freaked when you found out the nature of mine and Gaara's relationship, right?"

Naruto rolled his eyes as he rummaged through the clothes on his ground for some pajamas but said nothing.

"Naruto, you're dealing with things the wrong way."

"Whatever, Kiba." Naruto picked up a pair of fairly clean pajama pants and turned his back on Kiba to enter the bathroom.

Kiba jumped up and followed him though, unwilling to give up so easily. "Not whatever," he insisted. "I'm really worried about you."

Naruto turned on the shower and looked back at Kiba as he tested the water temperature. "Yeah? You're worried about me?"

"Yes, your behavior—"

"Hah!" Naruto barked. "_My_ behavior. _You're _the one who won't leave my apartment," he pointed out.

Kiba flushed slightly as the tables were turned on him. "I told you. I just wanted to be here for you. It's easier to do if I stay over, right?"

Naruto raised a skeptical brow. "It's been a month since..." He trailed off, unable to audibly recognize that day. Kiba got the point anyway. "You only just decided to show up a week ago," Naruto went on. "If you're trying to be there for me, then you're a little late." He straightened up a bit and regarded Kiba suspiciously. "What _is_ going on with you anyway?" he asked, suddenly very interested in Kiba's reasoning. What was the truth? He was no master of his skills yet, but he could sense a lie if he tried hard enough. Kiba was holding something back.

He had sort of neglected this point since Kiba's arrival a week ago anyway, hadn't he? At first, it seemed natural enough. He didn't really notice until about the third day when he realized that Kiba hadn't even been back home once. That had sort of peaked his interest, but Kiba had just given that same excuse of wanting to be there for Naruto. Seeing as "being there for Naruto" involved a topic that Naruto never wanted to speak about, Naruto just brushed it aside. It was fine if Kiba wanted to stay anyway. No need to argue. It'd been a week now, though, and Naruto had yet to really question Kiba about his true motives. What _was_ the other doing here for such a long time? He and Gaara had, more or less, made up. So why was he staying away from home?

Kiba averted his gaze. "Nothing's going on," he insisted.

Naruto became very skeptical then. Now that he was really tuned into Kiba, he could feel all sorts of disruptions in his aura. "Kiba," he said seriously, stepping forward. "What's going on?"

Kiba took an automatic step back, extremely uncomfortable with being the topic of discussion. "Nothing, Naruto."

Naruto's brows knit in concern. "You're out of balance," he informed. "I can feel it. Something is off, Kiba, and you can't hide it from me." He paused for a moment before making a tentative guess. "Is it something with... Gaara again?"

At that, Kiba turned away to escape the discussion, but Naruto could feel that he'd hit the nail on the head. He caught Kiba around his upper arm to keep him from walking away, but that caused Kiba to flinch and snatch himself out of the grip. He bowed his head to keep from having to meet Naruto's eyes.

"Kiba..." Naruto began warily, taking another step toward his friend. He had been wearing an awful lot of modest clothing lately, hadn't he?

Kiba didn't step back this time, so Naruto advanced more. Slowly, he grabbed the hem of Kiba's shirt. Kiba began to worry his lip nervously but did nothing to stop Naruto. After all, they were best friends. He was going to find out sooner or later. Plus, if exploiting his own pain would keep the blond from both thoughts of Sasuke and his methods of dealing with said thoughts as well, then Kiba would be happy in the end. Naruto lifted the shirt up, only getting it halfway up Kiba's torso before his eyes widened dramatically. He paused for a long moment before pulling the shirt off in haste. He took a step back and swallowed thickly, his throat dry.

"Kiba..." he whispered in disbelief. When he looked up at Kiba's still hidden face, he could only slightly make out tears streaking his friend's cheeks as he moved his arms to cover his heavily bruised body. He tried to turn away, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. Naruto gently tried to stop him, but Kiba slipped away from his grip.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto asked quietly, his throat tight with emotion at having seen Kiba this way. For a long moment, Kiba just stayed quiet with his back turned to Naruto. Then, without a word, he began walking out of the bathroom. "Kiba!?" Naruto exclaimed.

"You wanted to shower," Kiba answered softly as he turned the corner into Naruto's room and, inevitably, left Naruto's line of vision.

Naruto didn't hesitate to follow quickly. "Now I wanna talk!" he said loudly.

Kiba stopped in the middle of the room and shook his head. "You don't," he said quietly. "You haven't wanted to talk in... in so long."

Naruto sighed, guilt written all over his face. "I do now." He moved over to his bed so that he now had a profile view of Kiba and sat down. Patting the area beside him, he said, "Sit. Talk to me."

Slowly, Kiba turned and looked at the spot he'd been beckoned to. After a moment, he conceded and sat beside Naruto, his arms still trying to shield his condition. For a few short moments, there was nothing but a tense, awkward silence between the two of them. Finally, though, Naruto broke it.

"Why didn't you come to me?"

"I did," was Kiba's simple answer. Naruto knit his brows in confusion. "I'm here, aren't I?" Kiba added to clarify. "I have been for a week."

"But you didn't say anything!" Naruto exclaimed.

Kiba shrugged. "I didn't think I had to."

"Did you..." Naruto hesitated. "-feel like you couldn't talk to me?" he finished after a moment.

Kiba shrugged half-heartedly. "How could I?" he responded. "You were always so... You... You were hurting," he eventually said decidedly, not wanting to directly address the subject of Sasuke.

"But... you're my best friend," Naruto said, turning to fully face Kiba, though the brunette stayed facing forward with his eyes cast down at the ground. "You have to know you can always come to me."

Kiba sighed softly. "I... didn't know where I fit in anymore," he admitted.

To say that Naruto felt guilty would be an understatement. "Kiba," he said, his voice tiny, "I'm so sorry."

"No," Kiba said softly, shaking his head. "I don't wanna blame you. I understood what you were going through, so I just... fell back."

Naruto shook his head. "No, blame me. This is my fault."

Kiba sighed. "It's not," he assured. "I just... I stupidly thought that, I don't know, kyuubi would help you just... know," he admitted. "I was too embarrassed to admit it myself, so I just hoped that you would feel it or something."

"But I should have," Naruto said softly. "I should have felt it." He reached out and gently touched Kiba's knee. "You're my best friend, and I should have known. I was... I was too selfish though, and I apologize for that."

"Naruto," Kiba all but whispered, "you're not making me feel anything but _worse_." Naruto's brows knit confusedly again. "I already said that I don't wanna blame you, so please stop blaming yourself."

For a while, Naruto could think of nothing to say that wasn't self-loathing. How was it that Kiba could not be angry with him? He'd ignored Kiba. When he finally took the time to do it, he easily tapped into the other's emotions. He supposed that his close relationship with Kiba made it easy for kyuubi's abilities to work on him. It was hardly any work at all tuning into Kiba. That was proof that he'd been nothing but neglectful the past week. He'd gotten so wrapped up in his own fucked up healing process that he'd just forgotten about Kiba. This man had been walking around Naruto's apartment giving all the signs Naruto would need. And, yet, Naruto had missed it.

Kiba had faith in Naruto. He'd trusted Naruto to be there for him without word because, truthfully, their relationship required no words. Naruto had just, apparently, forgotten that. And to top it all off, even though he was clearly hurting so badly, Kiba had still managed to actively care about Naruto's situation because Kiba was a damn good friend. And what about Naruto? Kiba didn't want to hear Naruto's self-pity though. And Naruto guessed that all he could do was try to fix the future because the past had already passed. The damages was done. All he could do was keep himself from doing it again.

"I'm sorry," Naruto eventually settled on saying. "I'm here though," he added. He ducked down to try and catch his friend's eye. "What matters is now, right?" Kiba spared a glance at Naruto and nodded. "So, then," Naruto went on, "talk to me now. I'm here."

Kiba looked away again and worried his lip for a moment. "What... should I say?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"Anything," Naruto replied immediately. "Everything."

For another momentary pause, Kiba gathered his thoughts and nerves. "Well," he eventually began, "it started when... y'know... you and _him_ fell out." He paused and snorted softly, though no genuine mirth could be found on his face. "Actually, I guess it never really stopped," he corrected. "I guess Gaara just... just kept doing what he'd been doing. He... He doesn't mean to hurt me and I know that. It just... It's so hard to convince someone who hates themselves that they're worthy. I guess he's finally hit his breaking point. Kankuro decided he was back to normal enough for us to move back in together, but he hasn't really gotten better at all..." Kiba had to pause to reign the emotions back in and Naruto took that opportunity to put in his two cents.

"Kiba, I hate to have to say this, but... maybe... maybe you should leave..."

Kiba immediately shook his head no. "I can't."

"You already did," Naruto pointed out. After all, how was it that Kiba had lived in Naruto's apartment for the past week if he hadn't left?

Kiba snapped his head up. "I did not!" he all but hollered. "I just... I... I..." His chest began to heave slightly as his breath grew heavier. "He says the same thing, but I can't! Why don't you understand that? I _can't_! I love him."

"Of course," Naruto replied, trying to keep his voice soothing. "Sometimes, though, you have to do what's best for you, Kiba. Maybe Gaara was right in the beginning. Maybe you just need space, at least until you're strong enough to—"

"Strong enough?" Kiba repeated, clearly offended. "I'm not strong enough?"

"That's not—"

"Is that your professional opinion?" Kiba snapped.

"Kiba—"

"No! I _am_ strong enough! It's not like I haven't _been_ dealing with it anyway!" he pointed out.

Naruto quickly rebutted that. "It's not the same," he said firmly. "Kiba, look at yourself. You're covered in bruises. Do you know how you get bruises? It's not from biting. It's not Gaara losing his control and feeding on you. It's not from a relationship with a vampire. This—" Naruto gestured to Kiba's whole body, "—is the result of abuse. This is just Gaara beating you up. Don't you understand that?"

Kiba stood and huffed in frustration. "No, _you_ don't understand! Doesn't _anyone_ understand love? Couples have trials. That's life! Why, Naruto, are even you giving up on me? Even Gaara, the one who's supposed to love me, wants to give up, and now you too! Why can't I get any support? Why is it always like this? I'm not leaving!" He paused, chest heaving, before shouting again, as if being louder would change the situation. "I'm not leaving!"

Naruto's face scrunched up into a mixture of pity and an apology. "Kiba," he began softly, raising himself to stand as well. "I want what you want," he assured. "If it makes you happy, I'll help you fight for whatever it is. But if you're so determined to make this work out, then I think you're yelling at the wrong person."

Kiba's anger dissipated quickly. After a couple of seconds, he simply huffed and fell into Naruto. "I've tried yelling, Naruto," he murmured, his voice hoarse by now, "but he doesn't want me or my... m-my..." Kiba simply trailed off, trying to fight back sobs that just could not be contained.

Naruto hugged Kiba tightly and rubbed his back. "I'm so sorry," he cooed. "Kiba, I'm so sorry."

For a short while, they simply stayed like that, Naruto shushing his friend and rubbing his back soothingly while Kiba let his pent up emotions out.

Finally, when he was unable to cry any longer, Kiba pulled away and smiled weakly at his friend. "Take a shower," he mumbled. "You smell."

Naruto laughed and lightheartedly pushed Kiba. "We'll talk more when I get out," he promised, and Kiba nodded in agreement.

Once Naruto shut the bathroom door behind himself, he exhaled a tense breath. Dear, god. He couldn't believe he'd been so oblivious. He undressed himself quickly and got into the shower. He went about the task of cleaning himself off slowly, trying to keep his mind off of the heavy topics he did not wish to think about. Eventually, though, his mind fell to those topics anyway, particularly Sasuke. To avoid an emotional breakdown, he thought about Kiba instead. His thoughts turned from sympathetic to angry quickly though. Gaara had mutilated his best friend. Whoever Gaara had been when they'd first met was slowly disappearing. Naruto couldn't even recognize the man he'd become.

Naruto should have learned long ago that a feral vampire was not, by any means at all, easy to rehabilitate. One they got to a crazed point, they were pretty much a dangerous freak of nature for at least a couple of weeks. The rate at which they could become a functioning member of society again, of course, completely depended on their own will. In any case, he'd had enough experience with feral vamps to know that it wasn't smart to try and approach one, especially if it was Gaara. It was amazing how such a subdued, gentle man could become so ferocious when feral. Any feral vampire was ferocious, but Gaara was extremely terrifying in Naruto's experience. Still, though, Naruto's anger allowed him to ignore that point, no matter how vital it was.

Just like the last time Kiba and Gaara were having troubles, Naruto was going to get involved again. Perhaps he put too much faith in his newfound abilities as a jinchuuriki. What else could he do though? Kiba was his best friend, and Gaara was still his friend too. He had to help them both. That was his duty, wasn't it? Yes, and he'd spent too much time neglecting that duty already. It was time he get his head out of his own ass and step back into reality.

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**A/N:** I know I've been so inactive for so long. I lost my handle on this story, so I just sort of disappeared . FORGIVE ME. This is the first chapter in months and I am so sorry and I beg for forgiveness from the people who have been following this fic. I am becoming more active though. I'm already working on the next chapter and also the next chapter for Fire & Rain as well. I will be back, but I can't tell exactly when I will be able to get more chapters out. It's slow going at the moment, since I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. If you like, please review. If you don't wanna review, then don't. Whatevz.

I hope you guys are still with me though *kissy kissy boo boo*


	18. Chapter 18: A Mundane Way of Life

**A/N:** Okay, so this took a lot longer than I wanted, but I was so busy -_- Life has been hectic for me, but I will hopefully be able to get the next chapter out in even less time :3 I feel like this story is sucking more every chapter, but I'm just gonna get it done and maybe just rewrite it in the future if I ever get inspired enough about it. Only two chapters left until it's over though. Maybe three if I do an epilogue.

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**Chapter Eighteen: A Mundane Way of Life**

Naruto woke early the next morning, feeling like he _should_ feel drained. Not only was he, by far, not a morning person at all, but he felt like his conversation with Kiba the night before had drained him in many ways as well. And yet, he really wasn't exhausted at all. Despite everything working against him, he felt perfectly fine. Were the few hours he'd actually managed to sleep really so restful that they could energize him this much? Not that he was complaining. It was definitely nice to feel so awake when you knew that you should really feel like the walking dead... or less.

In truth, even before this whole situation with Kiba had come to his attention, Naruto had generally been exhausted. His body, his mind, his very soul—he had just been so weary for quite some time now. It'd been as if he was just hanging on by a thread really. He hadn't been sleeping well for a while now. Still, though, he found himself often opting to laze around in bed anyway and just be. He hardly ate anything substantial these days either. In fact, it was as if hunger had become a foreign thing to him. He could, and would, go great stretches without putting even a shred of food in his body, and he somehow would get not even one, single hunger pain. And even when the hunger pains finally did arise, his appetite was so shot to hell that he could hardly stomach anything at all. Not even ramen appealed to him anymore, and so he was reduced to eating bland and flavorless things and only when he absolutely had to.

This was something that he blamed on his newfound power of a jinchuuriki though. Bonds for him were like blood for vampires. In theory, he rationalized that one, good bond would be enough to energize him for weeks on end. As long as the connection was solid and thriving, he could literally convert that into sustenance to keep his body alive. Just like a vampire, he didn't _need_ food. He could survive off of the energy from his bonds. But, in his case, that's all that it was—just surviving. There was no quality of life to it, not the way that he was going about it.

It would, certainly, be much more rewarding and sustaining if he'd actually had any substantial bonds to feed off of, but he didn't. Every bond that he had created lacked all of the essential elements of a true bond—a mental understanding, an emotional connection, a physical longing, a spiritual infusion. As weak and meaningless as they were, created out of no true emotion at all, they did little for his health. It was just the sheer number of bonds he'd created alone that was even keeping him going anymore. With no appetite for food or anything at all really, he should have been starved of both nutrition and life alike. He'd lost a good amount of weight and was looking worse for the wear these days, but he was getting by. He was surviving. And it was his misery, which he tried to cover up by making these superficial and fruitless bonds, that took away his thirst for life.

The old Naruto would never have settled for merely surviving. He would have fought until he'd earned himself a life that he could be proud of, a life that would allow him to fall asleep every night with a smile plastered across his face and a feeling of warm contentment in his chest. But the new Naruto was lost to those ideals. That sort of life seemed like a joke to him, like a fable he'd been childishly chasing all his life. The new Naruto understood life to be nothing but a series of disappointments, and any semblance of happiness along the way was but an illusion. It was just the calm before the storm. All there really was to life was surviving. Why waste energy on anything more than getting by on the mere basics when it was all meaningless in the end?

And that frame of mind took its toll on his body. All he could do anymore was simply scrape by with what little he could actually glean from each of the vastly underwhelming bonds he'd built in all the nooks and crannies of the city. Somehow, though, he woke this particular morning from a night no more refreshing than any other feeling like the world was at his fingertips.

He graciously let Kiba sleep in for a while, since he'd woken about a half hour earlier than necessary, as he went about getting himself ready for the school day. As he showered and dressed and even made a little breakfast for two, he also, inevitably, dwelled back on everything he and Kiba had discussed the night before. It was then that he understood this sudden burst of energy. He would face Gaara today, and his body seemed to know that long before his conscious mind did. His body, he had noticed, seemed to know a lot of things before his mind did though. As of late, it had been acting on pure instinct rather than Naruto's personal wants and desires. Although, what with his life essence sapped from his being, his wants and desires always coincided with his body's instincts anyway. He wanted nothing more and nothing less than what he simply needed, and his body always steered him toward what he simply needed.

He had noticed that his body always charged itself up when the prospect of a "meal" presented itself—a meal meaning, from a jinchuuriki's perspective, the energy that he could extract from a bond. His body seemed to have trained itself to expect this sort of frivolous behavior of him hopping from one vampire to another tirelessly instead of relying on one, single bond. Perhaps it was already viewing Gaara as the next victim in line, so perhaps it was getting itself charged up this morning in order to ensure that Naruto could put up the very best fight against what would, certainly, be difficult prey.

Naruto knew that, despite his affinity as the current Kyuubi for seducing, he could not seduce Gaara into biting him, and he needed to be bitten in order to create a bond and call his plan a success. He was used to using his ability to naturally seduce against the more strong-willed vampires. It was easy to get bitten by a leech, but the same could not be said for the vampires that led more civil lives. He knew every vampire was plagued by a desperate need for blood, but not all of them gave in to that need. Quite a few, actually, had the kind of self-control Gaara had once exercised. They were far more than just heathens out on the prowl for their next meal, and they required an extra touch to be persuaded into biting Naruto and giving the blond the chance he needed to lock them into a bond.

Naruto had become so good at commanding himself this way that a great deal of vampires had actually come to him asking to be made his, and not the kind you find in back alleyways either. Those were the ones that he never slept with. Because even if the sex always made him feel better, he still had _some_ standards. He didn't want to turn himself into the village whore so if he was faced with a vampire devoted enough, and there was quite the number, he would simply set them on standby. They would supply him with some energy just by being bonded to him and they'd serve as a sort of backup stock in case he ever grew tired of the ones he actually did get in between the sheets with.

In short, his method of creating bonds had been working quite well for him. But despite that, he knew that there was only one fool-proof way to get Gaara's teeth into his skin. He had to push the man enough until all Gaara could recognize was bloodlust. And once that happened, he would be no more than putty in Naruto's hands. He would not be able to simply be seduced into submission though, no matter how skilled at seducing Naruto was. For one, he was too smart to be manipulated so easily; two, he had been close to Naruto and, thus, probably wouldn't see the blond that way at all; and three, he would understand what it meant to taste the blood of a jinchuuriki.

Once you had a jinchuuriki's blood on your tongue and your venom in their veins, you were theirs. There were ways to avoid it though. For instance, the vampire must taste the jinchuuriki's blood and the jinchuuriki must have the vampire's venom in their veins. It would be possible to bite a person and _not_ inject any venom, Naruto had come to find out, but not easy. Of course, a bite not intended to paralyze and kill would inject very little venom, but it would be venom nonetheless. And Naruto had yet to meet a vampire who could hold back all of their venom entirely, so he assumed it was no easy feat. Injecting venom during a bite is a natural thing for a vampire, after all. It would take either a lot of practice at making it a subconscious thing or else a lot of focus in the moment to keep one's venom from ejecting automatically. Gaara _might_ have that kind of control, but not if he was feral. If he was feral, he would bite first and think later. And that would be the end of that.

Naruto realized, then, that he'd been scheming about how to, essentially, make Gaara into his slave, and he stopped immediately.

For one, what he knew best about bonds was that they didn't simply dwindle. Once established, they were almost impossible to uproot. It was solid fact that if a person wanted a bond broken, then they could break it. But that was far easier said than done, even for a jinchuuriki who lived and breathed bonds. It was no easy feat to actually break a strong bond, no matter how hurt or angry or determined you thought you were. Naruto knew that from personal experience. So whether Gaara still wanted the bond or not, Naruto knew that the redhead's bond to Kiba would not be broken so easily. And if it could not be broken, then Naruto would have to overshadow it.

Jinchuuriki bonds were known to be so powerful that they would entirely obliterate any already existing bonds. It was completely possible, though, for an existing bond to hold up against a jinchuuriki one if it was strong enough. It was almost unheard of, but still possible. Naruto knew that, considering Kiba and Gaara's history and what he knew about the strength of their bond, it would take a great deal of willpower in order to overshadow that bond. And, frankly, he didn't think he had that much energy left within him.

And for two, he didn't want to waste what energy he had on something like that anyway. Creating bonds for himself thus far had been out of his own needs. Doing this to Gaara would be purely out of a desire for revenge, and Naruto didn't think that was really worth the effort in the end. Nonetheless, his subconscious mind was clearly very eager to come face to face with his friend. Or was it former friend now? Naruto wasn't exactly sure what he and Gaara were to be considered any longer.

In any case, Naruto was ready to meet Gaara and stand up in Kiba's defense, even if he wasn't going to be making a slave out of him. Maybe a part of him thought that mending the issues between the two would resolve any fear of him and Sasuke turning out that way too, not that he would consciously admit to the fact that he still planned a future with Sasuke in the back of his head. In a way, though, Kiba and Gaara were really just Naruto and Sasuke in different skin. They were all that Naruto and Sasuke could turn out to be, and that was terrifying. It was terrifying to think that Sasuke's urges could one day get in the way of their relationship like that, although Sasuke himself was doing a fine job of getting in the way all on his own. He didn't even need to be a vampire for that, it seemed, for he was just a stupid fucking idiot who ruined what little good he'd ever had in his clutches. After whatever tragedy had befallen his family, he'd simply pushed away all sources of comfort in favor of becoming a solitary bastard. And now he'd pushed Naruto to the limits until he'd, inevitably, just pushed the blond away entirely too.

Naruto took to wondering, then, if Sasuke was missing him. Was he was licking his wounds and devising a plan for reconciliation? Naruto quickly shoved that thought out of mind, for it was entirely unwelcome. Sasuke's name was taboo. It had been that way for weeks, and it would continue to be that way for... well... ever, Naruto supposed. He convinced himself that, rather than an actual desire for the bastard himself, this tender time for Kiba was what was bringing Sasuke back to the forefront of his mind. He simply needed to shove the Uchiha back into his rightful place though, which was in the deepest, darkest, most unvisited corner that Naruto could possibly find.

Out of sight, out of mind. And Naruto hoped that, for his own sake, that saying would hold true. Because just the thought of Sasuke was almost paralyzing to him. There was no time to waste being paralyzed though. He'd already wasted too much time being enamored by a man who'd, realistically, done nothing to woo him. In retrospect, Sasuke had been sending off warning vibes the whole time. It was just Naruto whose judgment had been too clouded to see the truth. He was blinded by a fantasy, by a desire to be desired, and he had paid for that. He'd paid big time. Now, though, he would never have to worry about that sort of pain again. The people he associated with couldn't hurt him, not like Sasuke did. They held no power over him at all. He was, in layman's terms, their master. And they did as he commanded, no more and no less.

This wasn't the time for those thoughts though. He'd woken up in anticipation of his confrontation with Gaara, not to think about Sasuke. He realized, then, that he'd been zoning out for a while, staring intensely at the counter. He focused and refocused his eyes as he came back to himself until they focused on Kiba's form. The brunette was just standing there staring at Naruto confusedly.

"What?" Naruto asked, furrowing his brows. Had he done or said something while he was zoned out?

Kiba shrugged a small shrug and shook his head. "Nothing... You just..." Kiba looked like he wanted to say more, but he refrained. Instead, he turned away and waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing."

Naruto followed his friend with his eyes as Kiba picked up the breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast and carried it over to the couch to eat. "What were you going to say?" he asked, as he followed Kiba's path.

Kiba paused his chewing for an imperceptible moment before taking on an even more casual tone than before. "It's nothing, really. Thanks for breakfast though. You don't ever cook or anything, so it's really nice of you." He turned and smiled at Naruto as he bit into his toast.

Mostly, he was just happy that there was a half-eaten plate on the counter in front of where Naruto had just been standing. That meant that Naruto had ingested food for once. He'd, clearly, only gotten half way through the food before quitting, but it was more than he normally ate.

Naruto gave Kiba his best 'I'm not buying it' look and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes turning serious. "Why are you keeping it from me?" he asked. "Is it another thing like yesterday?" Dear god, how much more strife could Kiba possibly have in his life?

"No, no!" Kiba assured quickly, waving his toast. "It's nothing like that."

"So just tell me. If it's nothing big, then why can't you just be honest with me?" Naruto asked.

Kiba sighed. When Naruto worded it like that, he actually felt guilty for not telling. "Fine," he conceded. Naruto sat down on the couch then, eager to hear what it would be. Kiba glanced sideways at him warily before melting into a smile. "That's the most emotion I've seen on your face in weeks," he pointed out.

Naruto blushed ever so slightly and smiled back. "Hey, stop trying to get off track."

Kiba smiled even wider. "I mean it Naruto. You look good with a smile. Use it more often. Get back to how you—"

Naruto could foresee the conversation going in a direction he was uncomfortable with, so he cut it off. "Hey, don't distract yourself."

Kiba paused and then looked away. "I don't know that you're gonna wanna hear it," he murmured.

"I don't care. Say it anyway," Naruto replied, his tone getting softer and more serious at the same time.

After a second of staring bleakly into his eggs, Kiba replied. "I was going to say that... you... you look just like Sasuke." He waited for a negative response, but there was only silence. He kept his eyes on his eggs as he explained himself. "Your body is so fragile looking, like you could break at any moment. You've lost all that emotion that made you so _you_ before. You've lost all the brightness you used to bring to all of our lives. Y'know, it's kind of like you caught his sickness or something." Now that Kiba was saying it out loud, he felt like he was onto something here. "I mean, it's almost like you're following in his footsteps, Naruto. Something big happened between you two and you've turned into this hollowed out version of yourself." He looked up at Naruto. The blond's eyes, as hard and as cold as ice, snapped from the empty space he'd been visually abusing to Kiba's face. "Naruto—"

"You're right," Naruto interjected sharply. "I don't want to hear it." He let a pause linger between them in which he just stared at Kiba, relaying his no-nonsense mood. "Finish your food," he eventually said, "or else we'll be late." And then he got up and started gathering his books and whatever else he'd need for the day's classes. After a few short moments, he heard Kiba set the plate down on the coffee table.

"Suddenly, I'm not hungry," Kiba said softly. There was shuffling as the man stood from the couch, which Naruto's back was turned to. A few moments later, the bathroom door was shut and Naruto let out a tense breath he'd been holding.

He didn't mean to upset Kiba, but he didn't want to think about what the man was getting at. And maybe that was just because it was true. Naruto _was_ following in Sasuke's footsteps, wasn't he? As a way to cope with his stress, Sasuke had shut everyone else out. He'd even resorted to drugs and starving himself too. And now Naruto was doing the same thing. He was shutting people out of his life, becoming as solitary as he complained about Sasuke being. He had been starving himself and bonds had become his drugs. He was mirroring Sasuke. But he didn't want to think, let alone talk, about that at all.

It was in silence that Naruto drove Kiba and himself to university. Kiba threw many cautionary glances Naruto's way but never spoke up. He decided to leave Naruto be in the end. After they had parked and headed a decent ways onto campus—Naruto having steered them to take the longer, more secluded path toward their classes—Naruto stopped, prompting Kiba to stop as well. Kiba expected Naruto to say something of their conversation from earlier, so he simply stood patiently by Naruto's side as the blond scrutinized Kiba's face. After a long moment of silence, Naruto finally opened his mouth. But what came out was _not_ what Kiba had been expecting, not at all.

Naruto simply said Gaara's name, but Kiba recognized immediately what Naruto was doing. His face fell into an automatic expression of dread, his mouth dropping open as he muttered a shocked and breathy, "Don't."

It was too late to take back though, not that Naruto wanted to. He wasn't even sure if the beckoning would work, to be honest. The bond between him and Gaara had been unclear for quite some time now. There was a point in time when he'd been positive that the redhead would come at a moment's notice. Now, however, he wasn't so sure. Hell, the bond might be so shattered between them that Gaara might not even feel the call at all. Those doubts having taken root in his mind, Naruto was actually shocked when Gaara suddenly appeared a few feet before him.

"Gaara," Naruto greeted curtly.

Gaara simply nodded in return. His expression was mostly blank, save for a tiny sneer still pulling slightly at the corners of his lips.

Naruto glanced back at Kiba, who was staring steadfastly down at the ground between his feet. That image of Kiba having been reduced to something so weak and introverted because of what Gaara had done fired him up quickly. He straightened out his posture and turned hard eyes back to regard Gaara, who had to fight the urge to balk at his attempt to be intimidating.

"I—"

"I know," Gaara interjected, "but you should save your breath." He paused long enough to flicker a quick glance at Kiba. "You're going to blame me for his state of being, but there's no point."

"What?!" Naruto snapped. "You're saying that it's not your fault?"

Gaara closed his eyes slowly, probably trying to regulate his mood. "I'm not saying that. I'm saying that there's no point in scolding me," he clarified, opening his eyes just as slowly as he'd closed them. "I am well aware of the things I've—"

"The bruises?" Naruto cut in, his temper flaring and hit Gaara like a wave. The redhead clenched his teeth to control how Naruto's emotion was affecting him. "You're aware of those?" Naruto went on. "You remember it all, the pain you caused him, and you don't think you're to blame?"

"I'm not saying that," Gaara ground out.

"Then what are you saying?" Naruto demanded.

"Shut up and I can tell you," Gaara retorted shortly.

Naruto narrowed his eyes before throwing out his arms in an impatient gesture, which only served to further agitate Gaara.

"I'm saying that I cannot take back what I've done," Gaara began. "I expressed before that we should not be a couple, but he refused to accept my judgement." He paused for a moment to ready himself, knowing that Naruto would become outraged again when he said the next words lined up on the tip of his tongue. "I carried out the actions, and I regret them. But the fault, in the end, is on the one who would not accept reality when it was thrust in his face. I would never have..." Gaara just trailed off when Naruto began talking over him loudly.

"Are you _serious_?! You're blaming Kiba for what you did?!" A few quick steps and Naruto was right up in Gaara's face. "What would your parents say—"

"They'd say all the better!" Gaara spat, shutting Naruto up. "They'd wish I'd killed him just to teach me a lesson! And he's lucky I haven't! If he hates me, Naruto, then all the better because one day I _will_ kill him! And then what do you think that'll do to me?!"

Naruto barked with derisive laughter. "As if I should—"

Gaara didn't have to hear the rest of that sentence to be thoroughly offended by it. He could feel Naruto's aura rolling of him in thick waves, each slamming into him more forcefully than the last. But Gaara had known he'd be creating this vicious visage for himself, and he'd had no qualms with it in the beginning. He knew that people would think he was a sick monster, but he was okay with that because that was what he was. He was unable to control himself around Kiba anymore. Years and years of trying to suppress who he was had finally caught up with him. In the end, his bond to Kiba was not strong enough. He loved Kiba. With all of his heart, he loved Kiba. But it was clear that sometimes love was not enough, especially not for a vampire.

He had been good. He had been so good. He had treated Kiba well. They'd been happy. One day, though, his instincts just came out of him, ripping him apart from the inside out. He'd been destroyed. Everything they'd worked to build up—the tolerance, the ability to suppress the urge, the trust, the love—was all shattered in a day. That was what happened with vampires though. They were beasts. You can cage them and tame them and call them your friends, but they'll never truly stop being wild.

Gaara had actually thought that he could pretend to be human, if only for Kiba and their love, but that was what ruined everything in the end. He'd forgotten who he was, _what_ he was, and he hadn't armed himself _against_ himself. He'd let the facts slip away to the back of his head in favor of playing house. He'd slipped up. And after that first taste of animalistic freedom, he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to kill Kiba, from wanting to suck out out every last drop of blood. And that frustration built up as he tried to recover from that first incident. He'd tried to come back to himself, to be that man that had loved Kiba for all these years... but he couldn't.

The urges just would not rest. He had to bite, to feed, to kill... to _kill_. And when he wouldn't allow himself to do that, when he tried to force himself to be more civil than he was capable of being, Kiba had falsely thought it was safe to get close again. It wasn't, but Gaara couldn't say no to Kiba. He couldn't push Kiba away again because he loved the man so heart-wrenchingly much, because he wanted to be touched and held and loved. Even if he couldn't handle it, he'd wanted it. He'd wanted it so badly.

But when Kiba wanted to become intimate again and begin to truly patch up what had been broken, Gaara snapped. He'd known it'd be too much, and it turned out exactly as he'd expected. The urges were stifling, and that made him angry. And out of that anger, he'd punched Kiba. Kiba had done it out of pure innocence and Gaara had sort of condoned it by not shooting it down right away, but those facts could not stop Gaara's reaction. Gaara hated himself for it, but it actually felt good to release his tension... so he impulsively did it again. And then after that, he just couldn't stop. He couldn't stop the satisfaction of releasing all that anger on Kiba. And he couldn't stop himself from feeling like Kiba kind of deserved it either.

Everytime Gaara's anger would build up, he'd just release it on Kiba. He never hit hard or long enough to draw blood, knowing that would throw him over the edge completely, but he certainly abused Kiba enough to force the man to start wearing long sleeves and jeans exclusively. Kiba wouldn't give up though. He was so desperate for reconnection that he'd let himself be brutalized in hopes that it would make Gaara concede. He'd thought, naively, that if he could just be a punching bag long enough for Gaara to release all that anger, then Gaara would remember how to be loving again. That never happened though. If anything, Gaara got angrier the longer that Kiba stayed around.

Gaara knew that he had become a beast—to enjoy treating Kiba that way, even if he was also disgusted by it—but that was who he was. He couldn't change that. He couldn't escape that. He was a predator, and Kiba was fated to become his prey from the start. He knew that succoming to the anger and frustration would only make him even more of a monster than he already was, but it was so satisfying. Sick, but satisfying. He knew it would drive Kiba away too. He knew it would get him the results he wanted in the end.

In his current state, who could blame him? Part of it was just the beast being a beast, but part of it was tactics too. He knew that hurting Kiba enough would make Kiba want to go away. And even though he'd be creating the very image he'd been trying to avoid all his life with his actions, he'd done it anyway. At that moment, though, it seemed like it was all he could do. It was the lesser of the two evils for him.

So, yes, he'd known what he'd been doing when he'd started doing it. And so shouldn't he have been prepared for this very situation? Shouldn't he be unaffected by Naruto's response? He had steeled himself for something exactly like this. So why was it that, as those waves of emotion poured off of Naruto and pushed at Gaara's core, his composure snapped like a brittle little piece of nothing?

"How dare you judge me?" he hissed venomously in Naruto's face as he pinned the blond against a nearby tree by his neck.

All Naruto could do was try to pry the fingers from around his throat, but that was a futile effort and he knew it.

"Gaara! Don't!" Kiba shouted, immediately rushing to his friend's aid.

"You live in a fantasy world, Naruto!" Gaara spat.

"Let him go!" Kiba pleaded, arriving at Gaara's side and grabbing the arm holding Naruto's neck while pulling back on Gaara's shoulder. "Gaara, this isn't you," he added, his voice sounding far too soft for the situation at hand.

Gaara snapped his fierce gaze over to Kiba, who flinched in response, and barked with laughter. He looked back at Naruto, switching the hand holding Naruto by the neck so fast that Naruto hardly even felt any uplift in pressure. His now free hand snatched Kiba tightly by the wrist to keep him in place.

"You hear that?" Gaara said loudly, laughing as his fangs extended. "Apparently this isn't me! HAH!" He shook his head as the laughter died down. "You think humans and vampires can coexist freely, but that's not how it is," he growled. "Everyone who pretends it is is delusional or else just stupid. You think you understand anything about me? You think you understand what it's like to nearly kill the person you love every time you see them?" His anger quickly escalated back into rage. "Do you understand that, Naruto? You think I _liked_ beating him?" he snarled, yanking Kiba's wrist up and causing the brunette to lose his footing. "You think I don't regret it every day?!"

He suddenly felt a presence approaching and promptly let Naruto go. Despite the approaching presence, he didn't stop his angry lecture, not even as Naruto fell to the ground and gasped furiously for air.

"You think I didn't feel this?" Gaara asked, not just pulling on but ripping one of Kiba's sleeves open to gesture at the bruises there. "You think it didn't hurt me too? Is that it, Naruto? I may be a monster and I may not be able to escape that, but I still love, Naruto! And I loved him!"

He turned to Kiba and the two eyes staring up at him through a thick haze of fear and tears caused him to falter. He pressed his lips into a thin line as pain shot through his core in a sharp pang, directly conflicting with his almost stifling bloodlust. He released Kiba by throwing the man's wrist away, causing him to stumble back to catch his footing. And then he turned eyes half as angry but twice as fierce back to Naruto.

"You know nothing," Ge hissed. By now, his chest was heaving and his throat throbbing.

In the end, Naruto had worked Gaara up into a frenzy. Like he'd noted earlier that morning, his body did what it needed to do to survive. By now, it was a miracle that Gaara hadn't bitten him. And as he realized how powerless he was to change his path—considering he'd consciously decided _not_ do exactly what he'd just been doing—he realized that he was no better than the very man he had just criticized. He, too, was a monster. In a different way, in a different form, with different obstacles to face, Naruto was the very same.

His vision was clearing from its haze now, but he didn't need to look and see Gaara's expression to know what the redhead was feeling. Naruto had looked at the situation one-sidedly all along. He had been quick to judge. But as he felt Gaara's reaction really seep into his bones, he felt like he understood. He'd never understood anything since this had all begun back when he'd met Kiba in that art gallery, but he felt like he was beginning to get a fraction of it just now. His thoughts fell upon Sasuke. He could understand Gaara better, however slight that understanding was, and he felt like he could also understand Sasuke by extension too. But he was still a fool, always the fool. Stupid. Blind. Naive.

He tried to stand but fumbled to catch his footing. He managed to stabilize himself using the tree though. "No," he choked out, his voice quiet and raspy, "I know nothing."

A soft voice chose that moment to interject, unable to stomach the defeated tone to Naruto's voice. "That's enough."

The words came to Naruto from his left, but he was thrown off balance when he tried to look over his shoulder in that direction. With his head still feeling rather woozy, he began to topple over. He could have regained his own footing and righted himself, but he felt arms catching him before he could even try. He recognized this scent and the voice that had preceded it, and he wanted to push it all away. His energy was at an all-time low though, what with expending so much of his little reserves on his confrontation with Gaara, so he remained powerless to change anything.

Gaara snarled, but the smooth voice simply repeated itself. "That's enough."

Sasuke bowed his head at Gaara then, as if giving him permission to leave. For a moment, Gaara stayed where he stood, stiff as a board and contemplating whether or not he wanted to rip Sasuke's head off. And as he became more feral, the human part of him that still cherished these people surrounding him began to disappear. Sasuke could sense that, and he began to tense his body in anticipation of a fight. Soon, all Gaara would feel was bloodlust. But there was still a little bit of rationality left in Gaara's head, and it, thankfully, made itself known. While the rationality said nothing of his fondness for Naruto and Kiba, it did note that Sasuke would probably have him dismembered before he could even get to one or the other. Out of a need to survive, Gaara simply disappeared. He wanted to run off to the slums and satisfy his cravings, but he chose to go home instead. He would seek out Kankuro because Kankuro would help before he truly became too crazed to control himself.

With Gaara gone, Sasuke relaxed enough to gently sit Naruto down at the base of the tree. He sat back on his heels in front of the blond and reached out to brush a tuft of hair away. Naruto turned away though and swatted the hand coming toward him off course.

"Naruto," Sasuke began softly, his voice like a distant lullaby, "please."

Naruto only turned his face further down and away from Sasuke, trying to hide the maelstrom of conflicting emotions swirling within. He, of course, didn't rationalize that Sasuke could sense them anyway. Sasuke placed a gentle hand on Naruto's chin and tried to turn his face up again but Naruto swatted that away too, causing Sasuke to sigh.

"Naruto, can we just—"

"No," Naruto interjected, his voice quiet but not soft at all.

Sasuke tried to hide a flicker of pain and disappointment as it passed. But what had he been expecting, if not this? He'd known it'd be like this when they finally met again. So why did it still hurt so much, even after he'd prepared for it? Maybe it was the fact that he'd put so much effort into crafting this very moment. He'd fixed himself. He'd come out of that dark, dark hole he'd been falling into. No more drugs. No more Sai. Well, Sai was dead. But, nonetheless, there was no more of him. No more starving. No more living in misery. He was changing for the better. He was slowly healing himself, but there was some healing still left to do, healing that he knew he couldn't complete without Naruto.

He'd climbed up from the black abyss he'd fallen into with the help of those around him and set his pride aside to become the best version of himself that he could possibly be. All so that he could have Naruto back, so that he could face Naruto properly in this moment. But Naruto wouldn't give him the time of day, and that hurt. Maybe he could never have prepared himself enough for that type of rejection. He brushed it away though. He wouldn't admit defeat so easily, not when it came to Naruto. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Naruto was talking before he could begin.

"I said no," Naruto said firmly. Sasuke paused for a long moment. While Naruto refused to meet the other's gaze, he could still _feel_ Sasuke's eyes on him. And that feeling made his skin crawl for various reasons, none of which he liked. He began to get fed up with the situation, so he repeated himself hotly. "I said _no_, so go away!"

Sasuke said nothing and made no move to do as he was told though. His eyes swept across Naruto's entire figure—sunken in eyes with dark circles, hollowed face, bones protruding where they never used to. Naruto looked awful, and Sasuke vaguely wondered if that had been how he'd looked too. Now, of course, he'd gotten himself together. He was back to a healthy weight, but it seemed like Naruto had taken his place instead. That upset him though. He wanted to see Naruto thriving, not struggling to get by. Eventually, Sasuke's silent stare became too irritating for Naruto to resist, so he snapped harsh eyes to Sasuke.

"I _said—_"

"There they are," Sasuke breathed.

The words were spoken so softly that they were barely a wisp of air. Yet, they were strong enough to silence Naruto's voice and freeze whatever had been roiling inside of him. Somehow, the ghost of a smile even slipped onto Sasuke's face, and that stunned Naruto for a good moment longer. He couldn't help but think that Sasuke looked really well. Last Naruto had seen him, he was a frail excuse for a human being. He was a real mess, much like Naruto now was, but he looked healthy now. He looked... he looked really good. That moment passed, though, and Sasuke began to see and feel things swirling within Naruto again. It was unspoken, but there was another clear rejection radiating from the blond.

"I know," Sasuke said, too lightly for Naruto's taste. "You said no. But you didn't even let me finish."

"No," Naruto repeated yet again, faintly noting that he was beginning to sound like a broken record.

Sasuke sighed at the regression. "But I have so much to say," he argued. He tried carding his hand gently through Naruto's hair but it was swatted away again, though with far less aggression this time. "Won't you hear me out?" Sasuke asked, his voice so soft and inviting.

Naruto contemplated the question for a long moment, but then he realized that there was nothing to contemplate. He had been pacified by the flicker of affection he saw in Sasuke's eyes. They were, clearly, impairing his judgement, so he opted to look away again. "I don't have the time," he finally said.

Sasuke's temper flared at this, but he tamped it down. "You have lots of time," he replied surely.

"And how would you know?" Naruto said, scoffing lightly. "You tossed me from your life, remember?" he added in a spiteful murmur.

It was clear that Naruto had no idea he'd been the sole object of Sasuke's attention since that fateful day. He hadn't actually been forgotten, not even for a moment. Still, though, Naruto was none the wiser to that fact, and that gave the blond reason to be hurt. And watching Naruto hurt made Sasuke hurt too. He paused for a split second, just long enough to feel those words sting him in his core, before he spoke.

"I can feel you," Sasuke informed, "even if you ignore me. I know... what you do..."

Naruto's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. "What the hell does that mean?" he asked, turning back to Sasuke and finding that the man's eyes had hardened. That certainly made it easier to look at him, now that they weren't so sweet and adoring. "You're stalking me?"

"No. I just... I know what you do," Sasuke repeated significantly. "Like I said, I can still feel you."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly when he finally understood what Sasuke was referring to. His cheeks tinted ever so slightly with red, partly from embarrassment and partly from anger. What the anger was for, he wasn't sure. But for some reason, he felt like Sasuke was invading his privacy and that made him mad. Sasuke could sense all of this in Naruto, so he hurried to explain himself further. Though, he didn't really know _how_ either.

"I can sense you on a whole other level," he added. "I know things... things that I don't wanna know." He gave up on explanations at that point and decided to just get back to the point. "I think that one of your toys can wait long enough for us to talk is what I want to say."

Naruto's cheeks went redder. "_No_."

Kiba approached from behind, then, and put a hand gently on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke seemed completely unmoved by the gesture, though he could feel Kiba's aura flowing into him heavily through that connection. There was sympathy and a tinge of pity with a sharp undertone of anger, but there was also the love and support of a brotherly bond that was still in the beginning stages of being rebuilt. Sasuke knew what Kiba was trying to tell him. Because he cared for Sasuke too, because he loved Sasuke as much as he loved Naruto, he wanted Sasuke to go. He didn't want to see either of them hurting, but nothing else could come from this encounter. Sasuke nodded at Kiba, who backed away. He stayed crouched down for a moment longer before standing. He was resolved to make one last effort before leaving though.

"Meet me," he requested, looking down at Naruto.

Naruto rolled his eyes and groaned with frustration. "How many times do I have to say no?"

"Fine," Sasuke conceded. "Don't meet me. Just take a detour over to my studio then," he suggested instead. "There's something there for you."

Naruto stood too, glad that his head had stopped swimming and that he was in good enough condition again to do so. He looked away from Sasuke, not wanting to be swayed by that soft look to his eyes again. "I don't want it."

"Why not?" came the quiet reply.

Naruto clenched his hands into fists, if only to keep his fingers from trembling, because he was about to touch on very sensitive territory. "Because, Sasuke, you're not the first to abandon me, and I know very well that gifts and tokens of memories only make it worse." After a second, he added, "I don't want to remember you. I want to forget. So keep it."

Kiba touched Sasuke's shoulder again, knowing that those words had to have stung badly. Sasuke knew he should leave at that point, but he was unable to leave this last thought unspoken. "Our bond," he began softly, "it's not broken yet... That should count for something."

He stayed still and silent for a moment, allowing Naruto time to respond if he wanted to. But the blond was just as still and silent, although exceptionally tenser. Those were the very words Naruto had been trying to avoid since their falling out, though they had always been ever-present in the back of his mind. He had always known that the bond hadn't been broken. Maybe it _couldn't_ be broken. Even he, a jinchuuriki, couldn't manage to put a dent in it. But he wanted to pretend that it was gone anyway. He had tried to sever it, but that was how he'd learned that it took a great deal of will to actually break something that had once been so important to you. It was there always, haunting him. But he didn't want that. He didn't want that at all.

* * *

**A/N:** Looks like the next chapter might end up being short -_-


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